News Broadcasting
Star News’ ‘Jaanbaaz’ to debut on 12 December
MUMBAI: Star News seems to be on a show launching spree. After a succession of new shows like Saas Bahu aur Saazish, Insaaf Ka Taraazu and Sansani, that were launched in the last couple of months, the channel will launch a new show – Jaanbaaz on 12 December at 8:30 pm.
Jaanbaaz will be a half hour weekly show that will laud ordinary people who have risked their lives in order to save someone else’s.
The show will be hosted by one of Star News’ anchor and will be produced in-house. Since people have deep rooted interest in issues like crime etc, this show is yet another way to bring to light those people who go out of their way, even risking their lives to avert a disaster and save the life of someone they don’t know.
The show will have interviews with the victims of the disaster and their family and there will be re-enactments whenever possible. These kind of shows have the potential of attracting viewers and people who otherwise don’t get any recognition for what they do for the community, will be brought to light.
Through Jaanbaaz, Star News will also be giving out a public service message and urge people to help those who are in trouble. There have been so many cases of people dying on railway tracks and in road accidents, and more often than not, people are so indifferent to it and no one is ready to help them. This show will be a message to everyone to step forward and help those in need.
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.
