iWorld
NGC specials examine the Vatican and Pakistan
The National Geographic Channel will end the month with a couple of specials offering diverse perspectives. Inside the Vatican airs on 30 March at 7.00 pm. The Vatican is one of the most widely known places in the world. 524 people reside in it. The State of Vatican City is the world's smallest nation. Its leader the Pope, has the distinction of being both its supreme civil authority and the head of the Roman Catholic church.
The Vatican draws tourists due to its magnificent art, architecture, manuscripts, books, and historical documents. This special is inspired by the National Geographic book Inside the Vatican. It will provide a rare glimpse of the Vatican and the thriving community that exists within its walls. Actor Martin Sheen The West Wing narrates the story.
On 31 March at 9pm watch Honour Killing in Pakistan. Here filmmaker Mick Davie travels to Pakistan to expose the practice of honour killing. A man can sometimes kill a woman without punishment. In the story Zahida Perveen's husband mutilated her and left her to die. But she lived and fought back, demanded justice, and won. This is her story, and the story of campaigners like her. The story revolves around the Pakistani women's fight for equal rights.
iWorld
JioStar revenue hits Rs 9,784 crore as cricket fuels 22 per cent growth
A surge in digital viewership and sports dominance fuels a blockbuster quarter for the media giant
MUMBAI: JioStar is batting on a flat pitch. The media titan’s fourth-quarter results for the financial year 2026 reveal a business scaling new heights, propelled by an unprecedented appetite for premium sports and digital-first storytelling.
Gross revenue for the quarter soared by 22.15 per cent to Rs 9,784 crore, up from Rs 8,010 crore in the third quarter. Operationally, the momentum was equally strong; revenue from operations climbed 21 per cent to Rs 8,372 crore. These figures underscore the firm’s successful integration following the Reliance and Disney merger, creating a dominant force in the Indian market.
The annual performance has been nothing short of a spectacle. Full-year gross revenue reached a massive Rs 36,248 crore, while annual profit after tax hit Rs 3,210 crore. This rapid expansion reflects JioStar’s ability to capture and monetise the massive growth in India’s media consumption.
Cricket proved to be the ultimate growth engine. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and TATA IPL 2026 delivered “record-breaking viewership” across both television and digital screens. The World Cup final alone drew a global peak concurrency of 72.5 million on JioHotstar, cementing its status as the nation’s premier streaming destination. On television, JioStar maintained a commanding 34.2 per cent viewership share, reaching a staggering 810 million viewers nationwide.
The digital numbers were just as impressive. JioHotstar averaged 500 million monthly active users, driven by consistent subscriber growth and innovative AI-led content discovery tools. These advancements are ensuring that JioStar remains at the cutting edge of the global “Race for Attention.”
With a firm grip on the country’s most valuable sporting rights and a rapidly growing digital footprint, JioStar is perfectly positioned for the future. It has built the ultimate content powerhouse—one that is ready to dominate the Indian living room for years to come.
