News Broadcasting
IBN 7 to air special series for Ganesh Chaturthi
MUMBAI: To celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi IBN 7 has lined up an 11-day long series ‘Ganpati Bappa Moriya’ beginning from 15 September. The series will feature daily aarti at the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai along with daily half-hour evening specials at 7:30 pm.
Besides IBN 7 will bring live the daily morning aarti from the Siddhivinayak temple in a special 10-minute segment at 5 am with repeats at 6:00, 7:00 and 8:00 am.
As a part of the celebration the channel will feature issues like the history of the festival, special Ganpati pandals and events and how they are funded, how the famous life-size Ganesha idols are made and other aspects of the festivities with special focus on Mumbai. The series will also deal with environmental issues and noise pollution, how celebrities celebrate the occasion, a look at the tallest Ganpati’s across the country and the differences and similarities between the way Indian families observe Ganesh Chaturthi in India and abroad – highlighting the global extent of the festival.
The series will conclude with a one-hour long special show on 25 September which is the day of Ganpati Visarjan. The one-hour show to be reported by celebrity anchors from various Visarjan spots will look at the special traffic arrangements made to accommodate thousands of people taking to the streets and celebrity.
IBN 7 managing editor Ashutosh said, “Ganesh Chaturthi is without a doubt one of the biggest festivals to be celebrated in India. Our special programming line-up will bring the viewers every aspect of the festival – from the daily aarti to the behind-the-scenes arrangements that go into making this such a grand celebration.”
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.
