News Broadcasting
Aaj Tak dials into the Bihar Election Action with the launch of ‘Hello Kaun’ Song
Aaj Tak, India’s No.1 News Channel is dialling into the election fervour with the release of a song composed specifically for Bihar Elections. Set in Bhojpuri style, the song is inspired and taps into the tune of famous Bhojpuri song titled ‘Hello Kaun’. Aaj Tak’s creative team has written lyrics of the song and it has been sung by Ritesh Pandey, singer, composer and performer of the original ‘Hello Kaun’ song.
Traditionally, elections in Bihar attract high attention across India due its dynamics. This year too, the elections will be closely followed, due to its critical timing. With the launch of the ‘Hello Kaun’ song, Aaj Tak intends to dial into the hearts and minds of the native population of Bihar to sensitise them about the upcoming elections. The song encourages the audience to tune into Aaj Tak to update and keep abreast of local issues, concerns of various voter groups’, manifestoes and strategies of various political parties.
Aaj Tak, India’s No 1 Hindi News Channel for almost 20 years, has always been at the forefront of election coverage, be it national or state. When it comes to Elections, the channel has been an undisputed leader in innovation. Be it the use of world-class graphics and differentiated formats to India’s first pop-up studio in the form of ‘Chunav Studio’, the channel has always broken the mould. Innovation coupled with the best on-ground reportage has always resulted in the channel grossing highest ratings for its election coverage. This song is also a similar attempt to reach out to the local audience of Bihar in an innovative and involving manner.
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.
