News Broadcasting
News broadcasters churn out special programming for IPL 8
MUMBAI: India Ka Tyohaar – the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 8 kicks off with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting Mumbai Indians at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. However, cricket in India is not only limited to the field or stadiums, news broadcasters too have geared up full throttle to provide expert opinions, reviews and previews, off the field gossip and franchisee owners’ reactions right through the league.
All major news channels have come up with exclusive programming for the multimillionaire sporting league.
NDTV 24/7 has a strong line-up to ensure its viewers do not miss any IPL action. On weekdays at 7:30 am and 7 pm, the channel will air a discussion show with Dean Jones and Sunil Gavaskar. While on weekends, one additional 3 pm show will be aired. The shows will also have match highlights, analytical stories, graphics and feature stories on the IPL.
An NDTV India spokesperson said, “After some serious cricket, it’s time for cricketainment and IPL 8 is the perfect platform for that. NDTV India has lined up a slew of IPL special programming with a blend of glamour and entertainment. As the name implies Bindas Cricket will bring to its viewers all the action and reactions, glamour and glitz and the highs and lows of both the entertainment and cricket worlds. We shall showcase all this, three times a day at 8:30 am, 3:30 pm and 5:30 pm on NDTV India.”
NewsX and India News from the iTV Network stable will showcase Summer Storm-IPL Season 8 and Run Jhamajham, respectively. Under this 44-days long extensive programming, there will be special segments on IPL, twice a day at 5:30 pm and 11:30 pm on NewsX and 12:30 pm and 6:30 pm on India News.
CNN-IBN & IBN7 is all set to capture the action and excitement of the 47 day long tournament with extensive programming to provide viewers 360 degree view of this mega cricketing event. Kiran More and Shishir Hattangadi will be the dignitaries in the panel of experts.
Cricketainment on CNN-IBN and Runutsav on IBN7 will bring to its viewers all the latest updates and insights on this cricketing extravaganza with an unrivalled spread of shows through the entire duration of the tournament.
Hindi news channel ABP News has also come up with a special segment titled 20-20 Ka King Kaun, which will be aired through the tournament.
While the teams fight it out on the ground, news channels too with their programming, are leaving no stones unturned to make this season an exciting one!
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.
