News Broadcasting
NBC to do interactive initiative to cross promote Olympics and ‘The Apprentice’
MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC and Mark Burnett who created the business based reality show The Apprentice have joined forces to create a promotion for the show.
Viewers can vote on NBCOlympics.com for one of 12 US Olympians competing in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games to become a future candidate on season six.
For the first time in the history of the show Burnett has opened the casting to the viewers and at an Olympic level. NBCOlympics.com, America’s online home of the Torino Games, isl conducting the voting in conjunction with the Opening Ceremony and concludes after the Closing Ceremony on 26 February. The winning Olympian will join the other candidates in Los Angeles.
The host of The Apprentice real estate tycoon Donald Trump says, “We are thrilled to have an Olympian in our midst. And while we’ve let the viewers do a hiring…I’m still doing the firing. So we’ll let the Games begin this fall”.
Burnett says, “There is no bigger promotional platform than the Olympics. I am honoured that NBC is utilizing one of its most cherished and powerful assets to help drive buzz for ‘The Apprentice’ brand. This promotion marks the first time I’ve ever invited the public to select a cast member for one of my shows. Our ‘Olympic’ Apprentice coupled with filming in Los Angeles will make for a fantastic sixth season.”
NBC Olympics president Gary Zenkel says, “One does not reach the Olympic Games without enormous drive, perseverance, ambition and a willingness to take a risk; traits required of business leaders. We are excited to have NBCOlympics.com host the voting and to deliver the first candidate to season six of The Apprentice.”
The 12 athletes represent a variety of Olympic sports, from skeleton, snowboarding and ice hockey to speed skating.
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.
