News Broadcasting
IBN7 to enter entertainment space with ‘Bhabhi Tera Devar Deewana’ from 23 May
MUMBAI: The role of a news channel in today’s era is not just limited to reporting events accurately as they happen. Many channels have now started to break free from this ideology and have entered the entertainment space with various programmes. One such player invading into this space is IBN7. The channel is all geared up to air a unique entertainment show titled Bhabhi Tera Devar Deewana in their afternoon slot every weekday. The show will attract viewers through aspirational stories and will have different segments.
BTDD has been created internally and at the helm of everything from the idea to planning to execution to conceiving is the feature editor of the channel Manoj Kumar Singh.
Starting from 23 May at 2 pm, the 60 minute long show will be narrated from the unique perspective of a male character unlike the other majority of the shows which have female anchors. Differentiating from others, the channel will have a male host who will be referred as ‘desh ka devar’. With a vision to supply new appetite to the viewers, the channel is aimed at replacing TV news with an entertaining ‘tadkedaar’ content.
“Every viewer is important for us. News content consumption slows down during noon and this is the ideal time to show different aspects of TV industry. The show has been planned and executed after a period of 5 months. We cannot reveal the name of the anchor as our USP is the Desh ka Devar. We are extremely confident about this show”, says IBN7 deputy managing editor Sumit Awasthi.
“BTDD is the brainchild of Manoj. He and the team has worked hard behind this show which the audience will surely enjoy as it hits the tv sets”, adds Awasthi.
The channel has not locked any deals with advertisers yet and is in talks with various brands “There are several on-going conversations with potential advertisers from across various sectors. We can clearly discern significant interest in the show amongst advertisers, amongst the trade etc., given that what we are trying to do is disrupt how entertainment news is typically shown”, he further adds.
Targeting the female audience at large, the channel has planned an extensive marketing plan to push the show. Apart from the various promos, the channel also circulates 20-25 teasers every day which stars A-list TV actors who also are their brand ambassadors. The actors negate the ‘desh ka devar’ character creating buzz amongst the audiences.
The show will also be promoted on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., and will also be pushed on the News18 website.
“We will effectively utilize and leverage our Network which we believe will help us establish the show. Additionally we will use an effective mix of digital, OOH and other media to maximize the reach of the show”, concludes Awasthi.
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.
