News Broadcasting
‘Kasautii’ edges past Balaji siblings to reign over ratings
MUMBAI: Once might be perceived as the luck of the draw. But two weeks running certainly raises questions?
Balaji offspring Kasautii Zindagi Kay, for long the lesser sibling of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii, has shot past both to lead the stakes for the second week in a row in the ratings just released by TAM for the week ended 24 May 2003.
Kasautii …has usurped the first three slots dominated by the other two ‘K’ serials in the last two years. More importantly, Kasautii… has helped pull the ratings scorecard into double digits once again. In a slot occupied once by the mighty Kyunki… with TVRs that went over 12, Kasautii…today is at a respectable 10.9.
However, another slow and steady winner, Aruna Irani’s Des Mein Niklla Hoga Chand, which topped the heap for the week ended 10 May, continues to hold its own against the mighty Balaji rivals, save Kasautii…, of course. Des Mein… this week appears at the fourth spot with a TVR of 9.5 (erstwhile Balaji star Amarr Upadhyay who split with the production house to try his luck in films, is back on the small screen with Des… for the last one week, incidentally).
Kyunki… makes its appearance only at the sixth place and Kahaani…. finds pride of place only further down at the eighth place, with a TVR of 8.1.
Are the two mighty pillars of Star Plus’ programming finally entering their autumn period? Another week of similar ratings and it could be said with more certainty whether there is a trend developing here.
Will the next few months see a battle royale between Ekta’s Kasautii…. and Irani’s Des Mein….? The ratings will tell.
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.
