News Broadcasting
Sahara rings in 2003 with host of new shows, lineup revamp
MUMBAI: The Hindi general entertainment scene will see serious action at the start of 2003. First, Star unperturbed by the upcoming World Cup hoopla announced that it planned to air six shows. Not to be left behind, rival Sahara has announced shows which promise to change the way viewers perceive the channel. The shows run the gamut from comedy to drama to music. The channel has also rescheduled the timings of some the shows currently running.
One of the major offerings is a weekly serial based on Indian war heroes Mission Fateh — which will be covering actual missions undertaken by brave officers of the Indian Army during wars and counter – insurgency operations. Extensively shot in border areas, the serial also highlights the emotional side of soldiers on the front. The show starts 24 January and will air Fridays at 9.30 pm.
The musically inclined can tune into the countdown show Hello . Hosted by the VJ Ruby Bhatia, of MAX’s Extraaa Innings fame, it will start from 2 January. This will be aired Thursday to Sunday at 7 pm. An official release informs that the show has been produced by Prime Media Max who has earlier made successful shows such as Tu Tu Main Main, Hum Saath Aath Hain, Gharwali Uparwali.
The channel has also decided to convert the weekly serial Zindagi Teri Meri Kahani, to a daily. From 6 January the family drama will air Monday-Friday at 9 pm. Sahara has also siad that it has made the timing and frequency of some dailies more convenient to provide a week-round entertainment offering a variety to its viewers at prime time.
Shubh Mangal Savadhan becomes a four-day daily comedy from 6 Jan. Featuring Dilip Joshi and Sumit Raghavan, it will air Monday to Thursday at 7.30 pm. The same day Kagaz Ki Kashtti becomes a five-day daily serial. Featuring Bhagyashree and Govind Namdeo it airs Monday to Friday at 8.30 pm. Parchhaiyan with Milind Gunaji, Reena Wadhwa will aiir Monday to Thursday at 9.30 pm.
Woh Kaun? with Nirmal Pandey, Niki Aneja will now air Monday to Thursday at 10.30 pm. Virasaat becomes a four day serial from 20 January. It precedes Woh Kaun? at 10 pm
The channel has also revamped its film timings based on feedback from the Bollywood buff. It has changed its timings for its evening Hindi blockbuster movies. These would now be aired at 7.30 pm on Saturday and Sunday. The channel also has plans to air serials with major Bollywood stars like Karisma Kapoor, Sridevi.
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.
