News Broadcasting
IBN7’s new programming gamble
MUMBAI: Just after 50 days of joining IBN7 as the consulting editor, Prabal Pratap Singh has high hopes from the channel’s two new shows. The two shows, namely Aar Paar and Super Crime Time, were already in discussion with Network 18 chief executive officer, news, and group editor-in-chief Rahul Joshi and his team before Singh rejoined. “After I stepped in as the consulting editor of the channel, we finalised everything on both these shows,” said Singh.
Disrupting the routine timings of debate shows on news channels, debate show Aar Paar will air every Monday-Friday from 7 to 8 pm. Motive: to utilise the 7 pm time slot for a debates on a news channel. It aims at catering to the Hindi markets at large. Anchored by Amish Devgan, the show will pick topics that have a deeper connect with the common man. It will follow the normal style of debates with multiple guests on-screen discussing the subject and will ask tough questions to those in positions of power and hold them accountable.
The channel has developed different teams for various roles like scripting, production, etc. Telecasted live, the show will not shy away from taking positions on issues that the viewers relate to strongly. Amish will engage directly with viewers through various social platforms to add an element of interactivity to the show.
“Amish’s personality is unique and I would appreciate if he can retain his style. Having him on board is an achievement for us. He will conduct the debates in his own manner. I don’t think an anchor has to shout for attracting viewers,” asserted Singh.
Debate shows on news channel are pretty common these days. But what if news channels not only report crime news but also recreate the crime scene? – asks the channel as it reinvents the category with Super Crime Time.
Crime as a topic has proved to be an important genre for the general entertainment space. Re-constructing crime incidents to spread awareness about the incident flagged off through the news channels with shows like Sansani on ABP News and Vardaat on Aaj Tak. The news channels have dramatic anchors for these shows to boost ratings.
In a move to revive this space, IBN7’s other show called Super Crime Time will be a heady mix of crime, drama, mystery and investigation. The show will not only report crime news from various parts of the country but also feature one major incident of the day by recreating the crime scene, piece by piece, trying to uncover its mystery. Airing 7 days a week between, the first half (10-10:30pm) will reports crime stories while the second half (10:30-11pm) will dramatise the details of crime place. On Saturdays, the programming will showcase some of the most infamous love stories which involve misconduct and bloodshed. The show will also have plenty visual effects.
Digvijay will spread out the message of ‘Apna Khayal Rakhna’ through this show. With 24 scenes already in place, the channel has a huge database of crime stories in bank. “The prime time for Hindi markets has now extended to 11 pm. We will recreate few concepts due to lack of visual support. We hope these shows will boost our viewership,” points out Singh.
The show has been directed by the editor of the channel Manoj Kumar Singh. The channel has associated students, theater artists, etc to enact the various scenes.
IBN7 would keep its eyes strained on its ratings in the couple of weeks to see how the new programming gamble is fairing.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
