News Broadcasting
NBC to rope in ‘Home Alone’ star Macaulay Culkin for a sitcom
MUMBAI: It’s not just a phenomenon on the Indian shores, even in the Hollywood actors cave in to the Television reach. While Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are producing a sitcom, Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin has signed a deal with NBC to develop several projects, including a possible sitcom in fall 2004.
According to the Variety Magazine report, Culkin is in talks with Conan O’Brien, The Late Night host, for a joint venture.
According to the media reports, the NBC spokesman Kevin Reilly offered that they aren’t planning a conventional show for Culkin; they are working on something that is a little offbeat and something surprising.
This isn’t the first time that Culkin will be starring in television show; he has been on NBC’s Will & Grace as a guest spot last season. Although he started off his career as a child actor, after the initial spark of brilliance, he has not been able to make a mark as an adult actor, although he always has had uncanny instincts as an actor. The media reports that NBC decided to strike a deal because they were sure about his skills as he did a great turn on Will & Grace. Unlike most child stars, he was able to figure out how to translate that talent to adulthood.
Beside the forthcoming tele ventures, Culkin had starred in an independent film Party Monster, early this year. He also appeared onstage in Richard Nelson’s Madame Melville, starring with Irene Jacob in London and Joely Richardson on Broadway, and will appear in United Artists’ upcoming Saved opposite Jena Malone and Mandy Moore.
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.
