News Broadcasting
Temptation Island hits Indian shores tonight
Star made it happen in the west with the Temptation Island and is now all set to hit Indian screens at 10:00 pm on Star World tonight.
Eight episodes of Temptation Island the original series that drew high ratings will be telecast in India to test whether India can have its own version of the series.
The channel is leaving no stone unturned to publicise the show. It already has attention catching advertisements in leading daily newspapers. The ad goes: 'Lust. Sex. Betrayal. Temptation Island, the reality show that shocked America. Should India have its own version?'
According to the channel, this will be a telecast to get a feedback from the viewers whether they would like to watch an Indianised version of the series on Star Plus. The reality series is about four steady couples at the crossroads of their relationship. Every member is made to stay separate from the other and stay on an island for two weeks with 26 single persons – with no restriction, no boundaries. The couples are not supposed to communicate though out the two week. Meanwhile, footage is shot of how each partner's relationship is developing and progressing with other singles.
When launched in America in January 2001, Temptation Island 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.
Meanwhile a team from the I & B ministry will be scrutinizing the show waiting to put a noose over the show if given a chance. How will Star dodge this? That's tempting. Very tempting. Maybe the channel will get exactly what it is looking for from the media and ministry and yet high ratings for the series.
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.
