News Broadcasting
Star Vijay celebrates New Year with special shows
MUMBAI: Star’s Tamil channel Vijay TV is all set with an absolute entertainment package this New Year. The programs range from devotional, literary, music, dance, cinema, blockbusters and more.
At 8:30 pm Vijay TV will telecast a special episode of the film-based talk show Cinema Karam coffee At 9 pm, the channel will air a sequel to Jet Set Go, a show which featured Tamil super star Vikram in a never before seen facet. Jet Set Go part II features the making and all the experiences shared on this adventurous bike ride with Vikram and his friends.
At 10 pm Apadi Podu, a musical programme will feature the chartbusters of the year 2004. Performed by the top playback singers like Srinivas, Unnikrishnan, Sujatha and Kartik along with well-known choreographers like Dinesh and Noel. The channel will air a trip down memory lane at 11 pm, Reel 2004.
At 8 pm on the channel’s breakfast show Hello Thamizha, Kollywood top star Sarathkumar will turn up as a special guest. At 9 pm, the channel will air Leoniyin Pattimandram, a humor debate with Dindigul Leoni on the topic Manavargalukku Tharpothu Thevai Thannambikkaiya? Vazhikaatuthala? Leoni is known for his popular comic interjections and humorous anecdotes. An interview with Tamil director S.J Surya will air at 10 pm in the show Suryavin BF. At 11 pm, the channel will air Madan’s Movie Round up 2004. At 12 pm, Vijay will telecast the popular comedy show Lollu Sabha.
At 1 pm, the channel will air a curtain raiser of the yet-to-be-released movie Mazhai. The channel will present mega star Rajani Kant in the spcial show Anbudan Rajinikku at 1:30 pm. The channel will air dubbed version of the Hollywood hit First Blood at 2 pm.
At 5 pm is a musican night featuring top playback singers like UnnimenonUngal Viruppam, Sujatha, Chinmayi and Karthik. At 8 pm is another movie curtain raiser, this time the Sarathkumar starrer Oru Paravi.
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.
