News Broadcasting
‘Bandstand’ to twirl new show with ‘Idol’
MUMBAI: While Indian broadcasters are still figuring out the ways of introducing the ‘Idol’ phenomenon in India, the US will witness the birth, in the summer of 2005, of the amalgamation of two of the most successful music formats in the country.
19 Entertainment, Simon Fuller’s company that brought American Idol to US network television, has tied up with Dick Clark Productions to to relaunch American Bandstand, the longest running network television show in history. American Bandstand, which ran on ABC TV for a record 30 years till 1987, had artistes performing live or live-to-track, inspiring a stage full of young male and female dancers, gyrating to rhythm. The American Bandstand format has often been imitated, leaving a lasting impact on fashion and establishing ummatched trends.
The prominence of American Bandstand as a social and cultural phenomenon was deeper, with the name and image finding their way into popular song lyrics, television shows, board games and record collections, and was probably the original reality show, with occasional dance contests, with prizes gradually increasing in value from records to juke boxes to cars.American Idol, which wraps its third season this week with a showdown between Fantasia Barrino and Diana DeGarmo, has been a hit for Fox and has produced recording stars like Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard.
On the new American Bandstand, performances by pop stars and the old show’s “rate-a-record” segments will remain in the mix, says Fuller. Clark will be a producer but won’t return as on-air steward of the new Bandstand, which is likely to appear on a network and definitely in prime-time.
A search for a replacement host is underway. Although the show will be largely Los Angeles-based it will break away to other cities, such as Miami, to sample the scenes there.
Fuller and Clark will serve as executive producers through Fuller’s 19 Entertainment and Clark’s production company, joined by Allen Shapiro of Mosaic Media Group, the controlling shareholder in Clark’s firm.
“American Idol is one of the very few music formats to have been successful on network television in the US for many years. American Bandstand was the first and longest running,” says Fuller. “Dick Clark is the father of American music television, and the prospect of the two of us working together to bring American Bandstand back to all its former glory, whilst giving it a 21st century twist, is very exciting indeed.”
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.
