News Broadcasting
‘American Idol’ finale ratings dip below last year’s
MUMBAI: This finale of Fox network’s biggest hit American Idol has seen a dip in ratings when compared to last year.
An estimated 31.4 million people tuned in to watch Fantasia Barrino’s victory at the conclusion of American Idol, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was down from 38.1 million who watched last year’s climax when Ruben Studdard beat Clay Aiken at the end of last season.
In a media report, Fox said that viewership was down in general this week because summer was approaching, so it was pleased by the numbers. Overall, ratings for the third season of American Idol were up about 15 per cent over last year, Nielsen said.
Another media report said that among viewers aged 18 to 49, the demographic most networks use to as a measure of prime-time success, the final episode in the third installment of Idol drew 13.2 rating, down from 16.8 for the end of the second edition last season.
Fox attributed the decline in part to the fact that this year’s finale aired a week later in the season, when the number of people watching television is lower.
The drop in ratings was there but it still made Wednesday night’s Idol the fourth-most watched regular series episode of the season. It was bested only by the NBC series finale of Friends (52.3 million); a Friends retrospective the same night (36.9 million); and the premiere of Survivor All-Stars, which came on CBS after the Super Bowl (33.5 million) said a media report.
It may be noted that the Indian version of the show, which has tentatively been titled Idol , is reportedly scheduled to launch in September on Sony Entertainment Television. If Idol does for Sony anything close to what it’s American forerunner did for Fox in the US, Star Plus might finally have some challenge to its four years and still running reign at the top of the ratings charts.
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.
