News Broadcasting
Reliance Big Synergy’s 2 fiction series to air on Zee Punjabi from 13 Jan
MUMBAI: Anil D. Ambani led Reliance Big Synergy continues to strengthen its fiction content offering with two new Punjabi language prime pime dailies slated to premiere onto-be-launched Zee Punjabi from 13 January. Zee Punjabi will air Heer Ranjha from 13 Jan -Mon-Fri at 8:30 PM and Kamli Ishq Di, Mon-Fri at 7:30 PM
Reliance Big Synergy CEO Rajiv Bakshi said “We are in the strongest position to develop and produce the finest range of fiction and non-fiction shows for our clients in both TV and OTT industries. We are both gratified and proud of the confidence the Zee Group has bestowed to give Reliance BigSynergy two prime time fiction shows for their new channel launch –Zee Punjabi. We are committed to develop and produce differentiated content, both fiction and non-fiction, in multiple regional languages besides our biggest strength Hindi market and entertain the audience across India.”
ZEEL North, West & Premium Channels cluster head Amit Shah said, “Punjab fits perfectly inZEE's philosophy of offering authentic and culturally intrinsic content to its viewers. The shows are inspired by the rich culture and traditions of the historic land of Punjab, and the viewers will surely connect with the characters and find the stories relatable. We are glad that Reliance BigSynergy is a partner in this journey"
Reliance Big Synergy has in the past years entertained millions of Indians through the highest-rated and breakthrough non-fiction shows including KBC, Dus Ka Dum, India’s Got Talent, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and more, has now moved full strength in fiction vertical as well with its range of fiction shows in both Hindi and regional languages.
Reliance Big Synergy VP Content Simmi Karna said, “We are super excited to launch two exciting prime time fiction shows for Zee Punjabi. Heer Ranjha is an iconic love story that will leave the audience enthralled. KamliIshq Di is another enchanting story and with its patriotic backdrop it will have an immediate connect with Punjab’s audience.”
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.
