News Broadcasting
‘Millionaire’ gets a makeover ‘Knot’ in US
MUMBAI: This is a concept that puts a new twist to the game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. The host of the show Meredith Vieira, will be teaming up with US media and services company The Knot for the initiative.
The special series will see engaged couples playing as a team in the hot seat as they try to win $1 million to help pay for the wedding of their dreams. Couples will be allowed to discuss the questions with each other before agreeing on one final answer. The five-episode series will air next month in syndication.
Meanwhile, viewers will also have a chance to win a six-day- seven-night trip for two to an exotic resort on the tropical isle of St. Lucia.
On each episode Vieira will ask a special wedding-themed “sweepstakes” question on-air. To enter the contest, viewers can go to the Knot’s website. Millionaire executive producer, Michael Davies said, “We’ve done successful couple editions before, but nothing like this. We are putting an innovative twist on a proven format.”
Viera said, “Having been married for 19 years myself, I am fascinated by the idea of seeing couples play as a team on Millionaire. Experts say that the number one item couples argue about is money. The prospect of winning $1 million might just bring out a side to these contestants that their mates have never seen. I think the couples will come out of this experience knowing their mates better than ever before.”
Each couple that plays during the week will also be given an early wedding gift on behalf of Millionaire The Knot. The gifts will be a complete surprise to the unsuspecting couples and ensures that even if they don’t win $1 million, no one will walk away empty-handed.
Might this be a marriage-moored show that has a good chance of success in the Indian context unlike the disaster that was Sony Entertainment’s Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hain? That’s a tough one.
And speaking of innovations, it remains to be seen what kind of innovations Star comes up with when Kaun Banega Crorepati returns to Indian television later this year. Assuming it does of course. KBC – The Return has had more than its fair share of false alarms so till it actually goes on air, doubts will remain.
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.
