Q1 2010: NDTV reports net loss of Rs 83.41 crore

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Mumbai
The recent turmoil in the media industry have weighed heavily on New Delhi Television (NDTV) in its financial results. It has reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 83.41 crore, while the company had a net profit of Rs 52.66 crore in the same quarter last year.

Income from operations rose to Rs 130.69 crore in the latest quarter, against Rs 119.41 crore in the same period previous fiscal. The EBITDA loss, has come down by as much as 37.3 per cent, from Rs. 91.88 crore in the same quarter, previous year, to Rs 57.66 crore in the current quarter.

On the standalone basis, the company has posted a net loss of Rs 2.39 crore in the June quarter, while it had a net profit of Rs 2.08 crore in the same quarter last year. Income from operations rose to Rs 80.09 crore for the quarter ended June 2009, against Rs 69.73 crore in the same period previous fiscal.

NDTV has initiated major cost cutting exercises, which have already begun to take effect. The total expenditure for this quarter is at Rs 77.87 crore, compared with Rs 85.54 crore during the same quarter last year.

During the quarter, NDTV 24X7 was the second most watched English news channel with 36 per cent viewership on Election Day, according to the TAM Media data. NDTV India has seen a consistent rise in the market share and reach over the last quarter.

NDTV Hindu, launched this May, has garnered an impressive 8.2 per cent market share, over the last 8 weeks in Chennai city, according to TAM Media data, overtaking channels like Headlines Today, NewsX and BBC World in the English News genre.

The quarter under review, was momentous for NDTV Imagine, which claimed the No. 4 position in the Hindi GEC space. Rakhi Ka Swayamwar show had a record opening of 4.1 TVR, making it the most successful non-fiction launch in over a year, taking Imagines' weekly GRPs to 138.

NDTV Good Times continues to retain its No. 1 position, in the lifestyle genre in India, winning Indian Telly Awards for Best Travel Show, Best Fashion Show & Best Health & Fitness Show for Highway on my Plate, The Inside Story and Spectacular Spas for Men respectively.

On the distribution front, NDTV Profit and NDTV Good Times have been launched in the US on DirecTV. NDTV 24X7 has also been launched on the mobile platform in the Middle East through DuMobile, a content aggregator.

NDTV has also tied-up with Bharti to make NDTV the preferred news channel for any Bharti powered TV in Indian airports. NDTV Good Times is now available on IPTV in Singapore on Sing Tel.