GECs
Kumkum Bhagya and spinoff help Zee TV to second place in across genres
BENGALURU: Over the past few weeks, Zee TV or its network sibling Zee Anmol have been ranked second and/or third in Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly lists for top 10 channels across genre (All India (U+R) : 2+ Individuals). In week 42 of 2017, it was Sony Pictures Network India’s (SPN) Hindi Movies channel Sony Max with the help of the rerun of Baahubali 2 that was placed second in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 channels across genres (across genres list). In week 43 of 2017 (Saturday, 21 October 2017 to Friday, 27 October 2017) – the week after India’s biggest festival season of Diwali, it is Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited’s (Zeel) flagship Hindi GEC Zee TV that has climbed back to second position in BARC’s across genres list. As in the past, the channel was once again supported by the Balaji Telefilms produced family drama soap Kumkum Bhagya and its spinoff Kundali Bhagya to attain the second place in the across genres list for week 43 of 2017. Both the soaps were amongst the top 5 Hindi GEC programmes HSM (U+R) during primetime (1800 – 2330 hrs) : 2+ Individuals The pole position of the across genres list belongs to the Sun Networks flagship Tamil GEC Sun TV (except during the annual Indian Premier League). Three channels from SPN, two channels each from or associated with Zeel, Star India and Network 18 and one channel from the Sun Network comprised the top 10 channels across genres for week 43 of 2017. From the genres perspective, seven Hindi GEC channels and one channel each from the Hindi Movies, Tamil GEC and Telugu GEC made up BARC’s weekly list of top 10 channels across genres for week 43 of 2017. Two flagship Hindi GEC channels of two networks – Colors and Star Plus returned to the top 10 channels list across genres after a short hiatus. As mentioned above Sun TV was at first rank in week 43 of 2017 with 1,059.914 million weekly impressions followed by Zee TV with 700.976 million weekly impressions. Zeel’s FTA Hindi GEC Zee Anmol was at third place with 681.964 million weekly impressions. Star India’s FTA Hindi GEC Star Bharat was at fourth place in week 43 of 2017 with 668.004 million weekly impressions. Network 18’s (Viacom 18) flagship Hindi GEC Colors was at fifth place with 617.659 million weekly impressions, followed by SPN’s women focused Hindi GEC Sony Pal with 594.487 million weekly impressions at sixth place. Sony Max was seventh in week 43 of 2017 with 584.651 million weekly impressions. The Network 18 associated Telugu GEC ETV Telugu was at eighth place with 536.339 million weekly impressions followed by Star India’s flagship Hindi GEC with 529.028 million weekly impressions at ninth place. SPN’s flagship Hindi GEC aided by the Amitabh Bahchan anchored Kaun Banega Crorepati was at tenth place in week 43 of 2017 with 519.420 million weekly impressions.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
