News Broadcasting
Alpha Punjabi launches ‘Music Night’; announces September plans
MUMBAI: Alpha TV Punjabi has announced its programme highlights for the month of September. In addition to all the popular shows currently on air, the channel is launching a new weekly show named Music Nights for Wednesdays.
According to an official release, the channel is ready to churn out interesting programmes and has added some new programmes also to its existing chart.
Alpha Punjabi is bringing for its viewers the happening party scenes in the UK with a new show Music Night. The show will cover upmarket parties attended by fans of Punjabi music and the music stars. Starting 8 September, the show will air every Wednesday at 8:30 pm.
“Alpha TV Punjabi has brought a unique show for their viewers which gives them a sneak preview of all the up market celebrations and parties being held anywhere in UK and which has “saada Punjab” in it,” informs the release.
Alpha Punjabi, which has recently introduced the viewers’ choice feature for its Saturday blockbusters, has lined up movies Baagi Surme, Lalkaren Sheran De, Kee Banu Duniyan Da and Sawa Lakh Te Ekk Ladao for viewers to choose from. This Sunday the channel is airing the superhit Punjabi movie Mela starring Girja Shanker, Chandani and Sardar Sohi.
Sudesh Lahiri portrays the character of Yamraj, in the most popular comedy show Alpha Gaddi, on 11 September at 7:30 pm. In Saada Campus anchor Jasmin Bhatti takes the viewers to the Girls College, Shimlay to probe into what is the latest in the students circle out there. This episode will be aired on 9 September at 8 pm.
The celebrity show Meriyan Gallan Mere Geet this week will feature Muscat based singer Zila Khan, daughter of legendary sitarist Ustaad Vilayat Khan through its programme on 12 September at 7:30 pm. Another music programme Kuch Pal Tere Naa will showcase the popular singer Nachhattar Gill this week on 11 September at 8:30 pm.
Sitcom Jugnu Mast Mast has Punjabi comedian Bhagwant Mann taking part in an audition of a music company. It depicts in a delightful way the complexities involved in the whole process and how Bhagwant along with his partner Rana Ranbir takes up the issues and shows the lighter side of the problems, adds the release.
Naachi Saade Naal is a dance based show full of energy and rhythm, in which contestants from different streams and different age groups (15 years to 30 years) are short-listed and then they are invited to perform in front of an elite panel of judges. The weekly show will air 11 September at 8:00 pm.
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.
