News Broadcasting
Fox on top in Feb; NBC languishing at the bottom
MUMBAI: Buoyed by the success of American Idol US broadcaster Fox has come out on top in February. This is the broadcaster’s first-ever sweeps month victory among all viewers.
Meanwhile NBC which is struggling to plug the gap left by the exit of Friends, Frasier has been relegated to fourth spot.
An AP report states that sweeps are held four months a year, when Nielsen Media Research ratings are closely watched to set local advertising rates. The rankings are set even though the current sweeps period runs through today. Fox is also expected to win among the 18-to-49-year-old age demographic that advertisers pay a premium to reach.
NBC’s pride has taken a severe drubbing. Nielsen ratings for the primetime block for the week 21-27 February 2005 clearly show just how hard a struggle it is having. The broadcaster does not have a single show in the top 10. The hospital drama ER enters at number 12. Joey which is the Friends spinoff has singularly failed to make a mark. ABC has enjoyed tremendous momentum with Desperate Housewives which recently completed its first run. ABC is in third spot.
As had earlier been reported by Indiantelevision.com the Oscars on ABC saw a decline in viewership to the tune of two million. However the 42.1 million figure that ABC achieved took it to the top. American Idol is a distant second with 28.3 million viewers. CBS’ show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation attracted 28.1 million viewers. In India the show airs on AXN. More Oscar pull comes courtesy ABC’s Oscar Countdown special which attracted 27.7 million viewers.
Fox Entertainment president Gail Berman was quoted in another media report saying, “Our goal is to win the season, and that will be reflected for our advertisers. I hesitate to make a prediction about the season, but we are excited about being competitive.”
At the same time it must be pointed out that Fox’s first sweeps month win since the network began prime-time broadcasting in 1987 is slightly deceptive. Take the Super Bowl out of the equation, and Fox would finish third behind CBS and ABC.
Media planner Geoff Robison lamented the failure of NBC to replace the earlier mentioned departed sitcoms. He feels that NBC is in desperate need of a Housewife. It also needs to get Lost.. Joey is ranked way down at number 31.
NBC needs to do something and fast. The General Electric owned broadcaster will negotiate ad rates in May. Meanwhile besides American Idol Fox has also had success especially in the 18-49 demographic with shows like the drama The O.C. The big question though is what will happen to Fox once American Idol’ s current season comes to a close.
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.
