News Broadcasting
Vh1 brings music festival ‘Vh1 Rock Rules’ from 18 May
MUMBAI: MTV Networks’ international music and lifestyle channel – Vh1, will be rolling out an international music fiesta with Vh1 Rock Rules, featuring three international bands and 12 local bands.
The music fiesta will begin 18 May and culminate on 3 June in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore.
Apart from the who’s who of Indian rock, the 15-band line-up stars three international bands – Haven (UK), Empire Dogs (Sweden) and a finale from the Aussie band Taxiride.
While, on the national front, the rock acts includes – Pentagram, Parikrama, Helga’s Fun Castle, Them Clones, Oritus, Nakshatra, Synaps, Parousia, Lounge Piranha, Vayu, Level 9 and Messiah.
On 18 May, Haven and Helga’s Fun Castle will perform, followed by Empire Dogs and Vayu on 25 May and finally Taxiride and Pentagram will perform on 1 June in Mumbai at Velocity.
In Delhi, Haven, Nakshatra and Them Clones will perform on 20 May, followed by Empire Dogs, Parikrama and Oritus on 27 May and finally on 3 June Taxiride, Level 9 and Messiah will perform at Elevate.
On 2 June, Taxiride, Synaps, Parousia and Lounge Piranha will perform in Bangalore at Palace Grounds.
Last year, Vh1 held Vh1 Hip Hop Hustle, wherein the channel brought in hip hop band Flipsyde as well as two international DJs Noname and Mentat. While the event was restricted to Delhi and Mumbai, Vh1 has now added Bangalore to the tour rock map.
Vh1 India VP and general manager Keertan Adyanthaya said, “Vh1 Rock Rules is slated to delight rock fanatics in India. We are not only bringing fresh new international talent to India but also providing a platform for Indian rock bands to reach their fans. It’s a clear indication that India is now on the world tour map and Vh1 is playing a major role in fostering this phenomenon.”
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.
