News Broadcasting
Big FM Chennai commits itself to a social cause
MUMBAI: Big FM show Adhirshtalakshmi had housewives in Chennai striking it rich by winning up to 50,000 rupees on the show. The station has now decided to support a cause through the show.
In an example of how localised radio can reach out in times of need the show will have housewives in Chennai playing the game as usual, only this time, the prize proceedings would be collected for a 13 year old girl suffering from a congenital problem.
To support this noble cause, housewives can call up and participate in the Adhirshtalakshmi show, answer the questions asked by RJ Balaji and win money for the girl’s surgery.
The show will also feature Kollywood celebrities in Chennai who will play the on-air game and contribute money for the surgery.
Other listeners can send their prayers and their well wishes to the girl by sending SMS at 5454. The station has also promised to have its RJs visit the girl in the hospital to entertain her.
RJ Balaji who has committed himself for this cause and who has been behind the initiative says ” BIG 92.7 FM’s theme is to make life worth living for the general public and I feel that this is a small step in making somebody’s life”.
The Adhirshtalakshmi will begin collecting money for the girl from 5 March onwards.
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.
