TV18 Broadcast Share price and Fundamental Analysis

Company History

TV18 Broadcast Limited (TV18) was incorporated on June 6, 2005 under the name 'Global Broadcast News Private Limited' as a Private Limited Company. Subsequently, the Company converted into a Public Limited Company with effect from December 12, 2005 and name of the Company was changed to ' IBN18 Broadcast Ltd ' on April 2, 2008. The Company then changed its name from ' IBN18 Broadcast Limited' to its present name 'TV18 Broadcast Limited' effective from June 17, 2011 pursuant to the Scheme of Arrangement approved by High Court of Delhi. The Company is engaged in business like news broadcasting, digital content and allied businesses.

The Company, a subsidiary of Network18 Media & Investments Limited, is one of India's most diversified broadcasting media and entertainment (M&E) conglomerates, with interests across television, digital content, filmed entertainment, e-commerce, print and allied businesses. The Company operates largest news network in India, spanning business news (4 channels), general news (1 each in English and Hindi), and regional news (14 channels across India, including a joint venture News18-Lokmat).

The Company's entertainment subsidiary, Viacom18 (a joint venture with Viacom Inc.), operates an array of entertainment channels. The entertainment portfolio comprises Hindi general entertainment channels, English entertainment, movies, youth and musical entertainment, kids' genre, and nine regional entertainment channels. This includes leading properties such as Colors, MTV, and Nickelodeon.

The internet news portal, www.ibnlive.com, serves as the online platform for the company. News broadcast on CNN IBN is put up in text and other interactive formats on the site. ibnlive provides streaming video feeds, downloadable tickers and breaking news alerts on cell phones ensuring that viewers have access to CNN IBN's news even when they aren't near their TV sets. The ibnkhabar.com is the Hindi online platform for IBN7, and has a role similar to what ibnlive.com plays for CNN IBN.

In June 2005, the company received permission from the MIB to uplink an English news television channel. In October 2005, they executed brand license agreement with CNN and news services agreement with Turner and in December 2005, they launched the 24-hour English news channel, CNN-IBN.

In July 18, 2008 the company entered into a share subscription agreement with Web 18 Holdings Ltd in which the company agreed to subscribe to 3,861,250 equity shares constituting 15% of the issued and paid up capital of Web 18 Holdings Ltd. In July 31, 2006 the company entered into a business transfer agreement with Web 18 Software Services Ltd in which the company sold, transferred, assigned and conveyed the news portal business including the brand, domain, goodwill, assets, contracts, employees and permits and licenses as a going concern. Also they entered into a share purchase agreement with Tadcaster Holdings Ltd in which the company transferred 169,100 equity shares of Web 18 Software Services Ltd to Tadcaster Holdings Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Web 18 Holdings Ltd.

During the year 2006-07, the company entered the Hindi news space by acquiring a strategic stake in the holding company of the erstwhile Channel 7, Hindi language news and current affairs channel. The channel was re-branded as IBN7 and re-launched with improved programming, visuals and graphics. Post re-branding. Also the company raised Rs 105 crore through an Initial Public Offering (IPO) using the book - building route. The issue received an overwhelming response from investors and was oversubscribed nearly 50 times.

During the year 2007-08, the company forayed in the regional news space through the joint venture with Lokmat Group and launch IBN Lokmat, a 24 hour leading Marathi language News Channel. Also they entered the Entertainment space through Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, a joint venture with the US media & entertainment conglomerate Viacom Inc. Viacom18 launched a Hindi General Entertainment Channel called 'Colors' in July 2008 to tap the immense potential of the genre.

In December 2007, the Company acquired 10.01% stake in Jagran TV Pvt Ltd from New Vernon Private Equity Ltd. Also, they acquired 100% equity stake in RVT Media Pvt. Ltd. and thus Company became Wholly Owned Subsidiary with effect from January 1, 2008.

The Company entered into a Scheme of Arrangement with BK Fincap Pvt. Ltd. and Jagran TV Pvt. Ltd. for consolidation of IBN-7 Channel with the Company. They announced merger of IBN7 within themselves by acquiring stake held by their partners in joint venture.

The Scheme of Arrangement between BK Fincap Private Limited, Jagran TV Private Limited (now known as IBN18 Media & Software Limited) (JTV) and the Company for the demerger of 24 hours Hindi News Channel 'IBN7' from JTV and merger of BK Fincap into the Company was approved by the Hon'ble Delhi and Allahabad High Courts. A copy of Order of Hon'ble Delhi High Court was filed by the Company with Registrar of Companies, N.C.T. of Delhi & Haryana on November 22, 2008. The Scheme came into effect from the appointed dates i.e. October 1, 2007 for demerger of the channel 'IBN7' from JTV and October 2, 2007, for merger of BK Fincap into the Company. All assets and liabilities of JTV pertaining to undertaking of Hindi News Channel 'IBN7' and BK Fincap have merged into the Company.

During the year 2008-09, Jagran TV Private Limited (now known as IBN18 Media & Software Limited) became a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company, pursuant to Scheme of Arrangement. After closure of Financial Year 2008-09, IBN18 (Mauritius) Limited has became a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Company. Besides these, RVT Media Private Limited, continues to be Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Company.

During Financial Year 2009-10, ibn18 (Mauritius) Limited became Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company. Besides this, RVT Media Private Limited and IBN18 Media & Software Limited continued to be Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of Company.

The Directors at their meeting held on July 7, 2010 have approved the Scheme of Arrangement of Network18 Group with an overall objective of placing all news business operations of the Network18 Group into one Company. Pursuant to an Order dated November 19, 2010, passed by Hon'ble High Court of Delhi at New Delhi, a meeting of the Equity Shareholders of the Company (the First Transferee Company), was convened on December 21, 2010 for purpose of considering and approving, the Scheme between Television Eighteen India Limited (TV18), Web18 Software Services Limited, IBN18 Media & Software Limited, iNews.com Limited, Television Eighteen Commoditiescontrol.com Limited (TECC), RVT Investments Private Limited (RVT), Network18 India Holdings Private Limited, Care Websites Private Limited, ibn18 Broadcast Limited and Network18 Media & Investments Limited and their respective shareholders and creditors. TV18, Web18, IBN18 Media, iNews.com, TECC, RVT, Network18 India and Care are collectively referred as Transferor Companies. IBN18 and Network18 are collectively referred as Transferee Companies. The said Scheme envisages restructuring of Network18 Group primarily into two verticals of operations. First vertical includes the consolidation of all TV broadcasting business in IBN18 and other vertical involves consolidation of other businesses of the group into Network18, holding company of the Company. The new structure offers shareholders/ investors the choice of investing in Network18 with controlling stake in TV broadcasting business or directly in the TV broadcasting business entity. The Scheme shall deemed to be effective from the Appointed Date i.e., April 1, 2010.

During FY 2011-12, Company launched five channels comprising of premier business news channel CNBC TV18 Prime HD'; HISTORY TV18' (through 51-49 JV-AETN18 Media Private Limited), an Infotainment channel, launched in October 2011, in 6 languages was well taken by the viewers and which is currently available in 8 languages, COMEDY CENTRAL' - a comedy channel; SONIC' - a channel for action loving generations; both above channels launched in December 2011 and further popular general entertainment channel COLORS' was launched in HD format.

The Hon'ble High Court of Delhi vide its Order dated April 26, 2011 had approved Scheme of Arrangement between M/s. Television Eighteen India Limited, TV18 Broadcast Limited (formerly ibn18 Broadcast Limited), Network18 Media & Investments Limited and Other Network18 Group Companies for which, a copy of the Court Order was filed with on June 10, 2011 and accordingly Scheme came into effect from June 10, 2011 with the Appointed Date, April 1, 2010. Pursuant to Scheme, business news undertaking comprising of English Business News Channel CNBC TV18' and Hindi Business News Channel CNBC -Awaaz' including teleports were demerged from erstwhile Television Eighteen and merged with the Company. Further IBN18 Media & Software Limited, a 100% WOS of the Company and iNews.com Limited, a 100% WOS of Television Eighteen were merged with Company.

The Board of Directors of Company at its meeting held on January 3, 2012 approved entry of the Company into fast growing space of regional television, through acquisition of 100 % of securities of Equator Trading Private Limited which holds 99.96 % equity interest in Panorama News Private Limited (which runs 4 regional Hindi news channel and one Urdu channel), 49.98% equity interest in Prism TV Private Limited (which owns five general entertainment channels in Kannada, Bangla, Marathi, Gujarati and Oriya ) and 24.5% equity interest in Eenadu Television Pvt. Ltd. (which owns one entertainment channel in Telugu and one news channel in Telugu) (all aforesaid collectively referred to as ETV Channels). After the acquisition of ETV channels, Company would be able to offer a unique mix of national and regional channels, catering to diverse genres like Hindi and regional entertainment, general as well as business news in English, Hindi and regional languages; music, kids, devotional and infotainment channels.

During the year 2012-13, Company has acquired 2,28,000 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10/- each of IndiaCast Media Distribution Private Limited and consequently, IndiaCast Media Distribution Private Limited became a Wholly Owned Subsidiary of the Company.

As at March 31, 2013, Company had 7 subsidiaries (including step down subsidiaries), namely: ibn18 (Mauritius) Limited, RVT Media Private Limited, AETN18 Media Private Limited, IndiaCast Media Distribution Private Limited, IC Media Distribution Services Private Limited, IndiaCast UK Limited and IndiaCast US Limited.

During the year 2014, Company acquired 100% interest in regional news channels in Hindi namely ETV Uttar Pradesh, ETV Madhya Pradesh, ETV Rajasthan, ETV Bihar and ETV Urdu (ETV News Channels); 50% interest in ETV Marathi, ETV Kannada, ETV Bangla, ETV Gujarati and ETV Oriya (ETV non Telugu GEC Channels); and 24.50% interest in ETV Telugu and ETV Telugu news (ETV Telugu Channels). The aforesaid interest has been transferred to Company with effect from January 22, 2014. Post acquisition, 3 more channels in regional news segment, ETV Bangla, ETV Kannada and ETV Haryana, were launched.

During the year 2014, Company enhanced its product portfolios in international markets with the launch of News18 India', a 24-hr television news channel designed to give global audiences a window into the world's largest democracy, which is distributed in the UK and other international market by IndiaCast.

Consequent to acquisition of control of the Company by Independent Media Trust (IMT), of which Reliance Industries Limited is the sole beneficiary, IMT had made open offer to Shareholders of the Company in terms of provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Takeovers) Regulations, 2011 and same was completed during the year 2015.

During year 2018, Company took operational control and raised its stake to 51% in its subsidiary Viacom18 Media Private Limited by acquiring 1% additional equity shares of Viacom18.

The National Company Law Tribunal, Mumbai Bench (NCLT), has approved the Scheme of Merger by Absorption of Equator Trading Enterprises Private Limited, Panorama Television Private Limited, RVT Media Private Limited and ibn18 (Mauritius) Limited, direct or indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries with Company with appointed date as April 1, 2016, which became effective on November 1, 2018.

The Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on February 17, 2020, had approved Composite Scheme of Amalgamation and Arrangement between the Company, Den Networks Limited, Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited, Network18 Media & Investments Limited, Media18 Distribution Services Limited, Web18 Digital Services Limited and Digital18 Media Limited and their respective Shareholders and Creditors, with the appointed date as 1st February, 2020. The said Scheme inter alia provides for amalgamation of Den, Hathway and the Company into NW18 and transfer of cable, broadband and digital businesses in 3 separate wholly owned subsidiaries of NW18, namely Media18, Web18 and Digital18, respectively.

In 2020-21, Colors Rishtey was re-introduced and Rishtey Cineplex was relaunched on the DD Freedish platform. Colors Marathi launched 5 new fiction and 2 new non-fiction shows. The top four broadcasters' re-run GEC and movie channels were re-launched on the Freedish Free-to-Air platform in June 2020. Subscription-led model Voot Select was launched in March 2020.

In 2021-22, the Network launched 3 sports channels in Apr'22 - Sports18, Sports18 HD and Sports18 Khel (FTA channel available on DD FreeDish). New movies from Rudra, Shiva and Motu Patlu were launched with a digital-first approach. Experiential project Roadies Koffeehouz' was launched in Mohali in Dec'21. Netra Suraksha - India Against Diabetes, was launched in Nov'21 in association with Novartis, to increase awareness about eye disorders caused by diabetes. It launched the country's biggest digital reality show, Bigg Boss OTT.

In 2022-23, the Company launched two new products targeted at the different ends of audience spectrum. FP Vantage, launched in Jan'23 and Local18 in hyperlocal news. CNN-News18 Town Hall was launched in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru; News18 India Channel became theNo.1 Hindi News channel in July 2022, which launched two new IPs - Amrit Ratna, to honour super achievers in their ¬elds and Showreel, and the Channel executed multiple conclaves including its agship News18 India Chaupal as well as Gujarat and Lucknow Adhiveshans. News18 Jammu Kashmir Ladakh Himachal was launched in August 2022, becoming the ¬first channel in the region by a national news network. Colors Marathi Channel launched ¬five ¬fiction shows and two non-¬ction shows - Sur Nava Dhyas Nava and Bigg Boss Marathi - All is well during the year. MTV launched a channel on YouTube, FullyFaltoo, which published 4,500 videos and garnered 2.8 mn+ subscribers. Voot launched original shows like Apharan S2, Bandon Mein Tha Dum!, Code M, The Gone Game Season 2, The Great Weddings of Munnes, Aadha Ishq, and London Files, among others.