News Broadcasting
‘Made In India’ takes a break from Star Movies
MUMBAI: Star Movies’ Sunday night 9 pm hook of English films with a “desi” touch is giving way to Steven Spielberg blockbusters for the rest of the month. The slot, branded Made In India (the last film aired Sunday), is taking a seasonal break.
When contacted, senior V-P content and communication Tarun Katial confirmed that the band had completed its initial run. The Made In India band would return around Diwali, Katial said. By that time the rights for films like Monsoon Wedding, Bollywood Hollywood, and Mr And Mrs Iyer (which Star has secured) would open up, he said.
Katial also revealed that Star has bagged the television broadcast rights for the live animation Jajantaram Mamantaram, which is currently running in theatres. The English version of Jajantaram … will be telecast onthe Made in India band, Katial said.
Eighteen films, including the crowd pleaser Bend It Like Beckham, have aired in the slot till date.
As mentioned, this month the free block will be taken by Spielberg Sundays.. The channel will also air movies from Steven Spielberg’s library back to back. The films include the three Jurassic Park movies as well as Artificial Intelligence. The schedule is as follows
Date Time Movie
8 June 9 pm Jurassic Park
8 June 11:30 pm Back To The Future
15 June 9 pm The Lost World
15 June 11:30 pm Back To The Future 2
22 June 9 pm Jurassic Park III
22 June 11 pm Back To The Future 3
29 June 9 pm The Flintstones
29 June 11 pm Artificial Intelligence
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.
