News Broadcasting
Mandira replaces Ruby in MAX’s ‘Extraaa Innings’
MUMBAI: The svelte cricket-loving Mandira Bedi has replaced bubbly Ruby Bhatia in MAX’s Extraaa Innings during the forthcoming World Cup Cricket 2003.
SET India CEO Kunal Dasgupta confirmed the same at the Advertising Club Bombay panel discussion on marketing opportunities that advertisers could leverage for their brands by ensuring participation in the forthcoming World Cup cricket (WCC) 2003. Bedi however was not available for comment as she was out of station.
Bedi’s inclusion will be targetted at attracting women viewers during the early afternoon slots when the World Cup commences early February next year. Extraaa Innings will spearhead the entertainment segment of the two-hour pre-match programming and post-match programming on MAX, the sports and movie channel of SET.
Bedi, unlike Bhatia, could relate better with women viewers with her Indian looks and wholesome appeal, feel industry sources. MAX had claimed an increase in female viewership for cricket and cricket-related programming during the Champion’s Trophy held in September this year.
The cricket programming had drawn criticism from some quarters for the dumbing down of the game it entailed. The channel had however insisted that ratings for Extraaa Innings proved otherwise.
Bedi was first noticed by a UTV director, Adi Pocha who cast her as Shanti in 1994. Bedi has also acted in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.. as a character with grey shades.
Bedi is currently acting in a sitcom Papa Baan Gaye Hero for Sony.
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.
