News Broadcasting
Star News’ ‘Ek Shahar…’ a look at state of Indian cities
MUMBAI: This summer, Star News is all set to launch two new shows – Ek Shahar Ho Sapno Ka and Fund kA Funda. While the former will launch on 2 May, the latter will premiere on 30 April at 9.30 pm.
Ek Shahar… will take a look at people’s aspirations towards making India a world-class destination and starts off with weighing Mumbai against Shanghai, a fine example of China’s exemplary progress in the economic arena.
The show aims to be an encouragement to fulfilling the Indian dream for world-class cities and takes an in-depth look into the basic issues of transport, housing, civic infrastructure, health, economic growth and related obstacles that stand in the way of fashioning Mumbai into a leading world city. It traces Shanghai’s genesis from a Mumbai-like city in the 1980s and its transformation into a commercial hub.
While Mumbai will face off with Shanghai on Ek Shahar Ho Sapno Ka from 2 May, audience responses have started pouring in via SMS and email from 25 April. Viewers will get a platform to voice their opinions on the hurdles that Mumbai currently faces and give suggestions on how Mumbai can stand up and be counted as a world-class city.
From 2 May all City 60 bulletins from Monday to Thursday, will feature a segment dedicated to Ek Shahar…, which will focus on one specific issue every week. The series will climax weekly in a grand half-hour live debate on the topic of that week every Friday, featuring prominent citizens and the common man of Mumbai.
This month-long series will conclude on 27 May.
Fund kA Funda, on the other hand, is an educative special on the world of mutual funds. Given the fact that a variety of instruments like mutual funds, PPF, debt, equities, bonds vie for the hard earned savings of an investor, the question for a traditional investor remains, “Where should I invest for a financially secure future?” Fund kA Funda will attempt to answer this question, providing the investor a guiding light into the world of mutual funds.
The show will also feature India’s foremost expert on mutual funds, Value Research founder and CEO Dhirendra Kumar. Apart from presenting his analysis of various funds and investment tips, Kumar will answer viewers’ queries through live call-ins in the course of the show.
The half hour show besides featuring a cover story will report the latest news on the various funds in the market, their latest ratings and showcase portfolio case studies. The repeat telecast will be on every Sunday at 5.30 pm.
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.
