News Broadcasting
Star pursues Indiatimes viewers for Temptation Island feedback
Star seems bent on getting viewers’ opinion on every issue related to the reality show Temptation Island it has started airing on Star World.
Although an overwhelming 58 per cent of responses to the online poll Star conducted on Indiatimes voted against an Indian version of the show, the channel is not giving up. The channel has initiated a new poll asking viewers if they would prefer the desi version to be shot in Goa. Interestingly, the less-than-a-week old poll has received a stout 71 per cent endorsement. Only 29 per cent of those who cast their vote in the online poll said they would not prefer Goa as the locale where the reality show, just two weeks old on the channel, could be shot. Two per cent of the voters had earlier said that they were not sure, and 41 per cent had given a thumbs down sign to an Indian version.
The channel pushed ahead with the launch of Temptation Island on 23 November, even though one of its earlier Indiatimes polls perched precariously at 50-50. Only half the number of voters had said that India was ready for a show like Temptation Island.
Obviously, the channel feels that those who log on to Indiatimes are the viewers most likely to watch shows like Temptation Island. That explains another poll that appeared on the site some week ago, asking voters whether they would like to watch Temptation Island at 10:00 pm on Thursdays. Sixty-five per cent of the voters had approved of the time slots.
When the show launched in America in January 2001, it got high ratings amidst shocking reviews and strong criticism. Aired on Fox channel, the series had the highest ratings in more than six years among adults in the 18-34 demographic. As for India, only two episodes have been aired so it’s early days. However, if the first show’s ratings are anything to go by there is still a long haul ahead. AC Nielsen’s TAM data gave it a 0.08 TVR while ORG MARG’s INTAM gave it a 0.14 TVR (all-India C&S homes 4+).
Meanwhile, the information and broadcasting ministry which had said it would be closely monitoring the show for indecent exposure (remember the pre launch campaign that went – Lust, sex, betrayal ) does not seem to have found anything objectionable in the content of the show.
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.
