News Broadcasting
Fourth ‘American Idol’ Bo Bice to release debut album
MUMBAI: The fourth American Idol Bo Bice is all set to release his debut album, “The Real Thing,” on 13 December.
Produced by Clive Davis, the album teams Bice with Chad Kroeger, Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, Ben Moody, John Shanks, and Swedish producer Max Martin.
“It’s so cool to be surrounded by people like that. You just feel grateful every day,” said Bice, who hails from Birmingham, Alabama.
There will be two editions of “The Real Thing.” In addition to a regular CD, there will be a DualDisc version with bonus material, including three extra songs written by Bice.
The DualDisc version will include the full album in enhanced stereo; a 22-minute video of “A Day in the Life” of Bo; an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Bo in the studio, at promo appearances, photo shoots and meeting his fans; the three bonus audio tracks “Cinnamon & Novocaine,” “Sinner in a Sin” and “Whiskey, Women and Time”; and acoustic performances of “Changing for the Better,” “Whisky, Women and Time,” “Sinner in a Sin” and “Papillon.”
Bo will support the release of “The Real Thing” with multiple television appearances, including The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, The Billboard Music Awards (6 December), The Today Show and Live With Regis and Kelly (both 9 December), Ellen (13 December), The Tony Danza Show (15 December), The Early Show (16 December), The Radio Music Awards (19 December) and Jimmy Kimmel Live (20 December).
On 11 December, the Oxygen Network will air A Holiday Custom Concert Special — Featuring Bo Bice and Special Guests. He’ll wrap up the year with a one-hour special, In the Moment With Bo Bice, airing 13 January, 2006 on CMT.
There will be three opportunities for Bice’s fans to watch him perform live. Bo will give an outdoor performance at Rockefeller Center for the 9 December appearance on The Today Show. They can also attend the taping of the Oxygen Network special in New York on 7 December and on 20 December, fans can watch Bice perform live on the outdoor set of Jimmy Kimmel’s show.
“Bo Bice is indeed ‘the real thing’. The album’s title is so very accurate in not only reflecting its first single but also the extent of who and what Bo and his talent represent,” said BMG US chairman and CEO Clive Davis.
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.
