News Broadcasting
Star News launches Valentine Day special ‘Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karenge’
MUMBAI: This Valentine’s, Star News has decided to tread the path of love. The channel will launch a special series called Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karenge on 10 February. The series will explore various facets of concept of love.
Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karenge will be featuring in special segments daily on Star Savera and City 60, and will have programmes such as Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai, Aur Kya Hai Chemistry, Hum Hai Naye, Pyaar Toh Hona Hi Tha and will culminate with a half-hour viewers’ special on 14 February with Maine Pyaar Kiya.
On 10 February, Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai will mark the beginning of the Valentine season by showing the transition in the portrayal of love; from the quiet romance of yesteryears to a bold representation of it in the present times. On 11 February, Aur Kya Haih Chemistry will look at love in the light of science. For the ‘love chemistry’ as it is often called, do chemicals play an important role in love at first sight? The interplay of love and science will unfold in this segment.
On 12 February, Hum Haih Naye will focus on the unusual ways in which people choose to express their love; with weddings and engagements under water, while scuba diving or inside ice caves, etc. Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, that will be aired on 13 February, will be a celebrity special segment, which will showcase as part of the 10 pm news bulletin and will feature the lifestyles and love stories of celebrity couples.
Maine Pyaar Kiya on 14 February 14 will be the grand finale of this Valentine’s Day special on Star News. Viewers can find another expression to their feelings by leaving love messages for their loved ones on the show. This will feature as a half hour special segment on City 60.
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.
