News Broadcasting
News18 network announces second edition of BYJU’S ‘Young Genius’
Mumbai: Building on the success of the first edition of BYJU’S “Young Genius – Umar Choti, Kaam Bade” which aired between January and March 2021, news network News18 has announced the launch of the second edition of the show with a new promo. The registrations for the second edition beginning January 2022 are open now.
Hosted by senior Network18 editor and anchor Anand Narasimhan, “Young Genius” comprises 11 episodes, honouring around 20 young geniuses in the age group of six to fifteen. The show features and recognises the inspiring journeys and achievements of child prodigies with exceptional talent in academics, arts, science, sports, music and other creative fields. The kids will be joined by some of India’s most celebrated personalities who will be seen sharing their experiences with them, said the broadcast network in a statement.
“The success of BYJU’S Young Genius demonstrates the acceptability of inspiring and entertaining stories and refreshing show formats on Indian television,” said News18 Network CEO – Hindi news, Karan Abhishek Singh. “The first edition received massive viewership, 98.4 per cent positive sentiment on social platforms and consistent demand for new episodes week-on-week from viewers across the country. The phenomenal response has led us to announce the second season of BYJU’S Young Genius which promises an even more enthralling line-up of stories of child prodigies.”
“The first season of Young Genius felicitated and featured extraordinary talent across the country and we are back again with the second season to feature India’s young geniuses. Our country is filled with exceptional talent, and a platform like this aims to recognise and celebrate such hidden gems,” added BYJU’s marketing head, Atit Mehta.
In order to cater to a diverse audience base, the show will be aired on 18 network channels including News18 India, CNN-News18, History TV18, History TV18 HD, News18 Rajasthan, News18 Bihar/Jharkhand, News18 Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh, News18 Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand, News18 Bangla, News18 Lokmat, News18 Urdu, News18 Kannada, News18 Gujarati, News18 Odia, News18/Punjab/Haryana/Himachal, News18 Kerala, News18 Tamil Nadu and News18 Assam/Northeast.
Children intending to participate can register on https://www.news18.com/younggenius/ or download the BYJU’S app and register under the BYJU’S Young Genius section.
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.
