News Broadcasting
‘Time Bomb’ delivers for Zee in 10 pm slot
MUMBAI: Zee TV’s most-talked about show in recent times, Time Bomb, has got its first report card.
Tam ratings for week 26 (19 June to 25 June) has Time Bomb scoring 2.34 TVRs (Hindi speaking markets, TG +4).
The thriller was launched on 20 June (Monday) as a one hour weekly in the 10 pm slot. Time Bomb replaced the non-starter Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na (10 pm) and Sarhatein (10:30 pm), a re-run.
As per TAM data, Time Bomb recorded 3.1 TVRs in the Mumbai market and for the Delhi and Kolkata markets it got 3 TVRs each. In the Madhya Pradesh 1 million plus market the serial’s score is 4 TVRs while in the Gujarat 1 million plus market it is 3.8 TVRs. In the Gujarat 0.1 million – 1 million market, the score is 2 TVRs.
Though the serial hasn’t made it in to the top 100, getting 2.34 TVR in the 10 pm slot, its fighting results stacking up against those towering Star Plus soaps Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki (10 pm) and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (10:30 pm) seems to have pleased the channel.
The data indicates that in this time band, not only has the male viewership on Zee TV increased by 210 per cent, female viewership has also increased by a phenomenal 323 per cent. The increase in the viewership for Time Bomb can be largely attributed to a fall of 30 per cent male viewership for Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bhau Thi each, Zee TV has claimed in a release.
“Time Bomb is Zee TV’s prime property right now. We have left no stone unturned to promote the show and TAM ratings are a clear indicator of our success. Time Bomb has been able to draw viewers away from their daily dose of drama. With the performance of Time Bomb and the slew of new shows lined up in the coming weeks, Zee TV is on its way to the pivotal position that it long deserved,” Zee TV president Abhijit Saxena has been quoted as saying.
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.
