News Broadcasting
Radio City to launch 14 shows in 14 days
MUMBAI: When it rains new shows on Star backed FM station Radio City, it pours. The radio station has set out to launch 14 new shows on a daily basis from 30 June, a tactic similar to the one it adopted last July, when it had a simultaneous launch of 16 vignette and regular shows.
Prime among these is Junior Janaab, touted as the first kids’ show on Indian private FM radio. Hosted by Roshan Abbas, the show will profile kid achievers, anshwer kids’ queries and all issues / happenings / newsmakers, kids interviewing other celebrity kids, kid debates on an issue, among other things. A daily vignette show Maha Cartoon that premiered yesterday, will take up various aspects of life and present jokes ‘that are big on fuzzy logic and splittingly funny all at the same time’.
Sirf Ek Sawal, a 60 to 90 second show that starts today, is a daily public opinion poll where the editorial is always topical (music, films, newsmakers, current trends / events, etc.) Question rounds will be at 7 am, 8 am, 2 pm and 7 pm, voiced in a quirky funny manner. Interesting to note is that the entry mechanism to participate in the show is only through mobile phones 7827, that promises to move into top gear soon, makes its entry into Radio City via this show.
Ghar Ek Manzil, a new weekend three to five minute feature focuses on everything around housing and everyones dream to live in a perfect home. Whether it be property tips, advice on house loans, how to do the interiors or even peeks into celebrity houses, Ghar Ek Manzil covers it all in an easy and entertaining manner. Listener queries are addressed by the editorial and experts in this show that starts tomorrow.
Doctor Didi, that has a special launch on 3 July, is a show that speaks directly to women about all health and fitness issues, is anchored by a practising doctor in real life who comes on to Radio City, as a physical manifestation of a helping, interactive show editorial.
City Buzz that starts 4 July, is a weekly roundup of the best of the citys happenings, newsmakers, institutions, etc. Mumbai Bhelpuri, Delhi Chaat Karari, Ganj ki Gilori & Nammuru Bangaluru, make up the individual elements of this property.
Film City Express, that starts 5 July, a daily show from 12 to 2 pm, is also anchored by Abbas, and covers personalities, themes, locations, years, movies and lyrics to ‘This week that year’charts, old classics versus new remixes, contests and trivia to a music play list that complements the editorial. Abbas will also anchor Public Demand, that will feature Bollywood’s top 25 chartbusters every week.
Chor Bazaar, a three to five minute feature, that starts 6 July, promotes the universality of music in a funny manner, while Karma Yogi, a weekly show, pays tribute to the individuals who are the real heroes of our society. Another vignette feature, Mera Ganaa allows one and all to own a popular music track’, according to the station.
Dialogue Baazi, a spoofy look at some of the most famous dialogues ever penned down in Hindi movies, is a feature that provides the dialogues, ‘the behind the scenes story which even the original script writers/directors would be envious of’.
An interesting addition is Dil Se, an interactive show that has stories from the heart about wishes fulfilled and romance on one end to overcoming loss and coming to terms with hardships on the other. Stories that are either radio adaptations of published works or ones that are written specifically for the show. First person narratives, radio plays, tearjerkers and RJ interactivity makes up the show. Janaabe Ali, another show, is the talkative know it all from some back lane of Lucknow whose advice / fundas to people reflects the very many funny, clever, irritating and strange systems and relationships that any average Indian comes face to face with.
Says Radio City COO Sumantra Dutta, “Listener research has continuously demonstrated the interest and desire for more than just music on Radio City. We are the only radio station that have recognized this latent need and delivered more variety to our listeners.”
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.
