News Broadcasting
Bollywood actors to feature on ‘Star’ every weekend on Times Now
NEW DELHI: The Times Now news channel is commencing today the telecast of ‘Star’, a new show giving a glimpse into the life of Bollywood actors.
Commencing today at 8.00 pm and repeated on Sunday at 12 noon, the first episode will feature the charismatic Ajay Devgn.
The show will take viewers on a candid journey into the life of a Bollywood actor with unrestricted access into the star’s life – unscripted, unrehearsed and uninhibited content.
One hour of exclusive conversation with the actor, more intimate and beyond the vanilla studio appearance, the show will delve straight into their personal life giving the audience a direct access to never seen before life of your favourite actor. The conversation will be in breaks during a shoot, getting ready for a meeting, interacting with fans, travelling for work.
The launch episode showcases an actor who has done it all, from action to comedy to playing the baddie. Star will give the audience a chance to get to know this mysterious superstar who has been known to avoid media.
Part of the first show with Ajay Devgn has been shot in a chartered flight, where Ajay candidly spoke about his preference on the location of his shoots; he is not a fan of outdoor shoots.
Ajay is a family man and always likes to leave the sets by 6 p.m. Night shoots are an absolute no for him. Known for sporting one of the best male bodies in Bollywood, this can be attributed to Ajay following a strict workout regime but he confesses that he cannot quit smoking and alcohol.
Ajay’s explosive revelation came when he admitted on the show his intention to walk away from the limelight in five to six years to take a long break and return back as a strong character artist, the Robert De Niro way.
Star will feature the most successful and exclusive Bollywood actors like Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Sonam Kapoor, Surya, Ayushman, Ramcharan and others in a never seen before avatar and without the proverbial lights, camera, and action! Get to know what really happens behind the scenes, during rehearsals, the truth behind the so called cat-fights.
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.
