News Broadcasting
BAG Films’ crime show on Star News rates high
MUMBAI: Crime shows on television seem to be the cynosure of attraction lately with high TRPs on the cards be it Sony’s Crime Patrol, India TV’s Most Wanted or Star News’ Red Alert. The latter has been soaring on the ratings charts lately. An official release from the production house that produces the show – BAG Films – said that Red Alert, that airs on the channel every Saturday at 11:30 pm has attained the first position in TRP ratings across all news channels as per latest release of TRP report.
The report says that Red Alert not only unearths crime but also reports the latest criminal trends. In order to understand the quantum of flesh trade in Indian society and its modus operandi, the Red Alert team decided to launch a sting operation in Delhi and Mumbai during the month of September. The team discovered that there was not only a flourishing network of pimps, prostitutes at a phone call away but famous models and actresses were an integral part of this entire network. The famous faces were part of the racket not because of pressure but because it was easy money or fun for them.
The Red Alert team achieved huge success when they trapped a famous actress who is recognised for her work in many albums. She has also worked under many famous banners as a supporting actress and has many films to be released in the pipeline. During the 24 days operation, the Red Alert reporters spoke to more than 400 pimps and 100 call girls out of which some were famous models and actresses. In spite of facing a lot of difficulties, the reporters succeeded in trapping famous faces in their camera who are involved in the sex racket, said the release.
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.
