News Broadcasting
After ‘Haqeeqat’, Sahara looks at the other side with ‘Jayate’
The Hindi entertainment television sweepstakes is hotting up and Sahara TV aims to be very much there on the viewerscope. After November’s launch of four new shows, the new year is going to see more offerings from the Sahara stable. Next month will see the launch of Jayate (winner), a show which is a reversal of its celebrated Haqeeqat (reality) in that it focuses on good cops and the sacrifices they make in the line of duty. Haqeeqat, which was introduced in June, has had quite an impact. Hosted by film director Mahesh Bhatt the programme was a breath of fresh air in an environment dominated by likeminded soap opera’s. It dealt with true incidents of human rights violation by lawmakers. It was produced by Anuradha Prasads BAG Films, for Sahara India Media Communications Ltd (SIMCL) and directed by Sourabh Narang. Jayate will be followed by Fateh (victory) which trains its guns on war heroes.
Next up on the channel’s new offerings list is Har Mode Pe (at every turn), a daily soap. Sahara TV vice-president (publicity, promotions & PR) Priya Raj says there is even more coming from the Sahara cupboard but the shows are still being conceptualised. They run the gamut of genres and should provide telly buffs with plenty of food for thought, Raj promises.
Meanwhile, the channel claims that two serials it launched in November Apnapan and Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani have drawn an excellent response. Both centre on the family and the channel claims that the immense popularity of these two programmes has helped it increase its viewership base. Apnapan shows from Monday to Friday at 1:30 pm and 11 PM Produced by SIMCL, Apnapan is directed by Chander Behl & V Menon. Veteran film actors like Kiran Kumar, Pramod Mautho, Shagufta Ali star.
Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani airs every Friday at 10:30 PM It shows how today’s society is more individualistic in nature. So the need for self identity is important. The story deals with marital discord. Produced by AV Telefilms, Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani stars veteran actor Arun Govil who played Ram in Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayana. Other stars include Rohini Hattangadi, Priya Tendulkar, Savita Prahune, Parmeet Sethi and Raju Samtani.
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.
