News Broadcasting
‘American Idol’ to expand with ‘World Idol’ special this Christmas season
NEW YORK: It promises to be a one-of-a-kind show for Rupert Murdoch’s Fox and could very well bring in bumper ratings that flatten the competition.
Fans of the music contest American Idol are in for a treat this Christmas.
A World Idol two-part special will air on Christmas and New Year’s Day. This will see the winners of localised versions of Pop Idol including the American winner Kelly Clarkson go head-to-head in London. The other countries that will be represented include Canada, Lebanon, South Africa and Poland.
Reports indicate that each jury member will be from one of the countries competing. Viewers around the world will be able to vote and the results will be announced around a week later.
To prevent bias fans will have to vote for a competitor from another country. Reports also indicate that the vote will take into account population differences between the competing countries. An Indian version of the show is in the works at Star.
The Idol franchise began in the UK in October 2001 as Pop Idol. Since then it has been replicated in over 20 countries. The World Idol organisers, including American Idol producer Simon Fuller, are aiming to find what they call “the world’s ultimate pop superstar”. The actual recording of the show will take place early next month.
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.
