News Broadcasting
Star News line up to encash on cricket mania
MUMBAI: Star News is all set to cash in on the Indo-Pak cricket mania with its special show on the India-Pak series called Wah! Cricket starting Thursday, 11 March 2004.
STAR News has lined up reportage and analysis of the historic Indo Pak series. The channel has roped in Pakistan’s ace-bowler and former captain Wasim Akram to speculate the results of the day’s game, comment on and discuss the teams’ performances along with former Indian cricketer Sandeep Patil who will be the STAR News resident expert for this show.
The line up includes two shows at 7:30 pm and 10:30 pm with Rameez Hasan Raja, former Pakistan captain and currently chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board presenting his analysis and comments of the day’s game.
A live Q&A section on Wah! Cricket will give viewers across the country a chance to direct their questions to STAR News’ resident expert Sandeep Patil. Viewers can also call in with their queries on the match and the India-Pak series.
To add to the cricket fever, ace-mimic Suresh Menon will present the day’s happenings in his original and entertaining style in Silly Point.
The programme will also show first-hand interviews with the common people on the street in both India and Pakistan as they scrutinise how the series will help in improving relations between India and Pakistan.
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.
