News Broadcasting
Reality TV claims 15 million reach
NEW DELHI: Reality TV, a 24-hour channel that combines hard-hitting and real-life drama with its unpredictable, unbelievable and unrehearsed footage, has claimed that it is now beamed into 15 million households across the country.
The channel, distributed in India by Zee Turner, the distribution alliance between Zee Telefilms Ltd and Turner International, was launched earlier this year. The channel is brought to India by Zone Vision, the UK-based international thematic channel creator.
Along with its Indian reach its global reach stands at 35 million subscribers across five continents and in 15 languages. Reality TV is successfully reaching all corners of the globe providing thrills, spills and unbeatable round-the-clock entertainment value 365 days of the year, an official statement from the channel claimed.
The statement, quoting Shivani Berry, marketing head – India, Reality TV, said, “Ours is the first fully dedicated channel beaming hard-hitting, action-packed,adrenaline and emotion filled programming focused on India. The response has been very encouraging. We are confident that with our new programming, that is being introduced specially keeping the Indian audiences in mind, our viewership will increase even further”.
The new programming will include a new series called ‘Code Red’. In Code Red, camera crews travel with the paramedics through the streets of major cities attempting to record these highly skilled heroes as they fight the never-ending battle to save lives. Adrenaline rises as the truck sirens blare and viewers take a front-seat ride to emergency sites including raging fires, car crashes, train accidents and collapsed buildings.
“We plan to start aggressive road shows in a phased manner in all the 4 metro cities to promote our unique programming in order to get even closer to the Indian viewer,” added Berry.
When the danger’s diminished, The Bravest offers a close-up look at firehouse culture – taking viewers inside the firehouse to see where the firefighters live, eat, sleep and work together.
Part science, part combat and all fun, Robotica introduces passionate (and slightly mad) techno-junkies who create robotic warriors. The competing robots’ eccentric names, such as ‘Mechacidal Maniac’, and ‘Ill Tempered Mutt’ add colour to the proceedings, and with plenty of action and excitement, this show should prove to be good weekend fun for viewers of all ages.
Deep in the heart of a burning forest rages the most dangerous inferno ever captured on film – a toxic fireball explodes after a massive train derailment and passengers on board a jumbo jet have nowhere to run as smoke engulfs them. Superfires is a one-off special encapsulating the most horrifying facts about these natural and man made infernos and exposes the impossible conditions fire-fighters have to face. Surrounded by intense heat and roaring flames, they battle it out in chaotic and deadly conditions.
What really happens when restaurant diners aren’t looking? You may never eat out again after watching this Reality TV special. When Chefs Attack blows the kitchen door wide open with some stomach turning footage taped in restaurants all over the world. Viewers will be horrified to witness the behind-the-scenes antics of restaurant workers such as dropping food on the floor and spitting on it – all before serving it to their customers!
Among the channel’s popular programming is one of its many thrilling programs, Cheaters, which is a classic reality television incorporating the most compelling elements of on-camera investigations. Suspicious individuals contact the Cheaters team of licensed private investigators to verify the belief that their partner may be having an affair. Cameras then record all the suspect’s activities that occur in public and private. Once the evidence has been compiled, Tommy Grand and the Cheaters investigators share their findings with the client, who is then given the opportunity to confront the suspect on the show.
The channel is targeted at 16-34 year olds and features material sourced from factual producers around the world. Reality TV captures the human drama when everyday life takes a turn for the unexpected, showing events as they actually happened. Unpredictable, unbelievable and unrehearsed footage gets viewers incredibly close to the heroic and the brave, to miracles and disasters and ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Lighter moments come from amazing vacation videos, bizarre driving antics and ridiculous stunts caught on camera. Similar launches in South Asia and parts of West Asia are planned.
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.
