News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to redefine morning television with ‘The Breakfast Club’
Mumbai : CNN-News18 has announced the launch of first-of-its-kind morning show, ‘The Breakfast Club,’ starting 5 February. Inspired by the format of western morning shows, ‘ The Breakfast Club ’ will be anchored by Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor from 8 to 9 am on weekdays.
The show is set to become the go to source for viewers seeking to kick-start their day with information they can use in their day to day life. The show, unlike any other, is a unique blend of news, lifestyle, and entertainment, designed to keep the audience informed, engaged, and energised as they sip their morning coffee or tea.
The Breakfast Club ’ is not just another news show; in fact, it has been conceptualised as a non-political show to offer a daily experience that makes viewers’ mornings better with information that enables them to make better decisions.
The show’s format incorporates mini segments of 5-8 minutes each, ensuring a dynamic presentation. Segments, both daily and weekly, cover a wide range of topics including morning headlines, big events, business, technology, health, real estate and more.
The editorial approach of the show focuses on selecting stories that impact daily lives, providing clear calls-to-action and limiting discussions to one expert per segment. The production quality is set to be top notch, with each segment having a separate station and show-specific graphics. The Breakfast Club will utilise engaging music throughout the segments to contribute to the overall energetic and positive tone of the show.
The set design is carefully crafted, featuring a mix of traditional desk setups and comfortable seating areas to adapt to different segment tones.
To engage with the audience, “The Breakfast Club” plans to conduct surveys online, utilise News18.com for trend reading, and debunk viral myths, addressing questions that genuinely matter in viewers’ lives.
Speaking on the new show, CNN-News18 managing editor, Zakka Jacob, said, ” As we usher in a new era of morning television with ‘The Breakfast Club, we aim to make every viewer’s morning an engaging and energising experience, setting a positive tone for the day ahead. And as India’s number one English news channel, we have packaged the finest blend of news, lifestyle, and entertainment content for our audience. We are confident that our viewers will join us on this exciting journey as we redefine mornings in an authentic, positive, and inclusive way. ”
The anchor of ‘ The Breakfast Club ’, Sonal Mehrotra Kapoor added, ” We’re excited to launch ‘ The Breakfast Club ’ that breaks free from the ordinary and charts a new course in Indian news television. Join us in this refreshing experience, where we’ve bid farewell to traditional news delivery. Let’s rise and shine together, India!”
Network18 said, CEO Smriti Mehra – English and Business news, said, ” We are thrilled to introduce ‘The Breakfast Club ’ to our programming line-up at CNN-News18. This show reflects our commitment to delivering dynamic content that aligns with the evolving preferences of our diverse audience. By blending news, lifestyle, and entertainment, we aim to provide our viewers with a positive start to their day, setting ‘The Breakfast Club’ apart from any other morning show in India. It will be at the forefront of news excellence and audience engagement, setting a new standard for morning programming in the India’s TV news space.”
Starting 5 February 2024, ‘The Breakfast Club’ will be aired on weekdays at 8 am on CNN-News18 and the channel’s YouTube platform.
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.
