News Broadcasting
Animal Planet US’ reality event going from strength to strength
MUMBAI: Animal Planet has managed to build up viewer cachet in the US through its King Of The Jungle reality themed initiative. This has seen wannabe anchors getting tailed by a 300-pound tiger, coming face-to-face with vipers and pythons.
The winner of the contest will be revealed on 15 December in a two hour special. An official release informs that on 13 October nearly two million viewers tuned in to the shows premiere episode. It had begun with 12 nature experts from all walks of life competing for the title and the chance to host a wildlife special of their own.
Now just three finalists remain. Come 15 December they will have to deliver a TV-ready presentation about three exotic animals — without any preparation. The broadcaster has built the event as a true test of expertise, poise and personality.
After that their physical tenacity and animal handling skills will be tested to the limit. Each finalist must master a grueling series of sky-high obstacles and rescue a feisty alligator. This will see one person getting eliminated. Then a couple of Bengal tigers will enter the picture. The two participants will have to deliver a presentation in this dangerous situation without losing their cool.
On 22 December a winners special will air. The winner will handle and help transport alligators to a new habitat in Miami. This time nothing will keep the predator’s jaws shut but the winner’s own skill and agility. The new host will have to travel to the banks of the Mara River in Kenya where hungry crocodiles cleverly shadow their prey.
The special will be produced for Animal Planet by BBC Wildvision.
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.
