GECs
Sun TV’s unassailable lead continues, while Zee TV leads Hindi across genre
BENGALURU: The Sun network’s flagship Tamil general entertainment channel (GEC) Sun TV continued its lead in ratings across all GECs on Indian television for week 48 of 2017 (25 November to 1 December 2017) according to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) weekly ratings data. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) network flagship Hindi GEC Zee TV also continued its lead of Hindi GECs with the support of Ektaa Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms produced family dramas Kumkum Bhagya and Kundali Bhagya.
BARC data for the top 10 channels across genre (All India Individuals 2+) for week 48 had three channels from the Star India network, two channels each from Zeel, Sony Pictures Network India (SPN), Network 18 and one channel from Sun TV network in its list. From the genres perspective, six Hindi GECs, two Telugu GECs and one each channel from the Tamil GEC and Hindi Movies spaces comprised the top 10 channels list for week 48 of 2017.
Sun TV retained its numero uno with 1019.892 million weekly impressions. The channel’s ratings were ably supported by the fact that all the five top Tamil programmes during primetime for the week were as usual from Sun TV. It is only during the Indian Premier League that the channel had to make way for the channel that airs the cricketing bonanza, but it continues leading all GECs.
Zee TV was ranked second with 723.935 million weekly impressions followed by Network 18’s flagship Hindi GEC Colors at third rank with 681.010 million weekly impressions. Tu Aashiqui that was aired on the latter was among the top five Hindi GEC programmes in the HSM urban (U) + Rural (R) and the HSM (U) markets during primetime. Another soap on the channel, Udaan, was also among the top five programmes list in the HSM (U) market during primetime.
Star India’s recently renamed and relaunched FTA Hindi GEC Star Bharat was ranked fourth with 665.612 million weekly impressions. Kya Haal Mr. Paanchal continued its run in the top five programmes on Hindi GEC HSM (U+R) and HSM (R) markets. Zeel’s FTA Hindi GEC Zee Anmol was ranked fifth with 614.632 million weekly impressions.
SPN’s women focused Hindi GEC Sony Pal ranked sixth in the top 10 channels across genres list with 600.202 million weekly impressions. Balveer in the Hindi GEC HSM (U+R) and HSM (R) and Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma in the HSM (R) markets were among the five most watched Hindi GEC programmes during primetime.
SPN’s Hindi Movies channel Sony Max at seventh place with 563.980 million weekly impressions. Hindi feature films PK, Dangerous Khiladi 6 and Poster Boys aired on Sony Max were in the top five lists of programmes list in the HSM (U) market. Star India’s flagship Telugu GEC Star Maa was ranked eighth in the list with 515.303 million weekly impressions. Two programmes on Star Maa– Karthika Deepam and Kumkum Puvvu were in the top five Telugu programmes list during the week under review.
The Network 18 associated Telugu GEC ETV Telugu was ranked ninth with 505.527 million weekly impressions. Swati Chinukulu and Manasu Mamata featured on ETV Telugu were among the top five Telugu programmes in the AP/ Telangana (U+R) areas (NCCS All: Prime Time (1800 – 2330 hrs) : 2+ Individuals). The Star Networks flagship Hindi GEC Star Plus was ranked tenth in week 48 of 2017 with 503.505 million impressions.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
