News Broadcasting
Zee to strengthen 8 pm slot with ‘Banoo Main Teri Dulhann’
MUMBAI: Zee TV is all set to beef up its programming with Banoo Main Teri Dulhann, to kick off on 14 August at 8 pm from Monday to Friday. It replaces the long running soap Tumhari Disha and hopes to gain a strong viewership in the 8-10 pm slot, as it has already acquired popularity with leadout show Jab Love Hua, as well as Kasam Se and Saat Phere in subsequent slots.
Dulhann, also running along a women centric theme, is about an uneducated village girl Vidya waiting to be swept of her feet by a charming prince. Marriage, however, shatters her dreams as she faces the wrath of her husband and in-laws who belittle her background and education.
The essence of the show looks at the positivity with which she hopes to rise above these trials and win over her husband. Promising to have a good twist in the story, the show hopes to grip viewers.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com on the strategy that has been used to pull in the viewership, Zee TV senior VP programming Ashvini Yardi said, “Based on the lines of a Cinderella story, the theme deals with a reality that most Indian women can identify with. Tumhari Disha came in at a time when Zee did not have the numbers it holds today, hence, we are hoping Dulhann will be able to achieve that.”
The main characters are played by two fresh faces, Divyanka Tripathi (Vidya) from Bhopal and Kolkata boy Sharad Malhotra (Sagar). The two were contestants from Cine Star Ki Khoj. Nilima Bajpai from Shankuntala Films has handled the production.
Zee TV businesss head Punit Goenka said, “With Saat Phere, we addressed the issue of the discrimination a girl faces in many parts in India on the grounds of her skin colour. Banoo Main Teri Dulhann will touch upon and deal with the struggles an illiterate village girl has to undergo. If Kasam Se and Saat Phere have struck a chord with our viewers, Banno Main Teri Dulhann will take it further.”
As Zee TV attempts to capture the 8 pm time band, it will have to face stiff competition from Sahara’s recently launched Sati. Star Plus’ Pyaar Ke Do Naam Ek Raadha Ek Shyaam is also in this time slot but, is yet to deliver numbers. Sony has also planned to launch a new show Hum Mei Hai Visshwas to replace Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai at 8 pm.
Now, its left to the viewer to decide whether the show will be able to achieve the stronghold it hopes to establish during the prime time slot.
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.
