News Broadcasting
Oprah Winfrey to foray into reality series on ABC Entertainment
MUMBAI: Talk show host Oprah Winfrey plans to enter into the reality space with two shows tentatively tilted Oprah Winfrey’s The Big Give and Your Money or Your Life. This announcement was made jointly by Harpo Productions and Disney owned ABC Entertainment.
To be rolled out as eight-episode show, Oprah Winfrey’s The Big Give will challenge 10 people to take the money and resources they are given and multiply them to come up with the most powerful, sensational, emotional and dramatic ways to give to others.
An official release stated that each week the group will face a “big catch” that will test their nerve, drive, ingenuity and passion. The stakes will get higher, with one person ultimately being chosen to have his/her wildest dream come true for making the biggest impact. The series will center on the drama, emotion and magic of making a difference in peoples’ lives.
In addition, the two companies are also developing the primetime series Your Money or Your Life. Each week will feature families facing a life crisis. They will need to make drastic and immediate changes before they are consumed by disaster. In every episode, an expert action team will move in and viewers will watch a dramatic total money and life makeover.
“Less than 100 days since we launched our new television development group, we’re delighted to be announcing our first two primetime series,” said Harpo Productions president Tim Bennett.
“Oprah Winfrey getting into series TV is monumental. Our relationship with Harpo has been wonderful for us, and this latest partnership takes it to a phenomenal new level,” said ABC Entertainment president Stephen McPherson. “These two shows are a perfect fit for our alternative brand with their focus on wish fulfillment and making lives better. I can’t wait to get started.”
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.
