GECs
VHI India to showcase footage from Live 8 concerts next month
MUMBAI: In an unprecedented global music initiative, MTV Networks services around the world will air customised programming from the upcoming Live 8 concerts. These will take place in multiple international venues on 2 July.
Hourly bulletins comprised of performances, backstage interviews and specially created packages will air on MTV, VH1 and TMF (The Music Factory) brands internationally. In addition, VH1 India will broadcast 12 hours of Live 8 footage showcasing highlights from all the event venues.
Finally on 3 July, the day after the concerts take place, a one-hour Live 8 special with featured global performances will be made available to MTV Networks music channels around the world.
As the motivating force behind 1985s Live Aid concert, Sir Bob Geldof is leading the effort for this years Live 8 concerts, alongside international campaigns whose goals are to eradicate poverty in the worlds poorest countries.
Make Poverty History in the UK and in the US, Datas One Campaign led by Bono, each with millions of supporters around the world, have joined forces for a Global Call to Action Against Poverty.
In the US, MTV, VH1 and MTVs college network, mtvU, will run a shared feed for the first time ever, capturing the biggest moments of this universal music effort to help fight poverty. MTVs sister networks will provide select live coverage from every corner of the world, along with interviews with participating artists and fans on site, and produced packages.
These will look at everything from the original 1985 Live Aid concert to what is set to take place at the upcoming G8 conferences Live 8 is hoping to influence in 2005. In addition, CMT and VH1 Classic will be involved in showcasing Live 8 performances reflective of their brands in separate highlight programming the day after the concerts take place.
MTV Networks chairman Judy McGrath said, Our proudest moments are when we use our unique global position to help connect our audience with the important events of the day and offer a creative outlet for artists to express themselves about the issues of our time. Live 8 is one of those moments and were glad to join our musical brothers and sisters in every corner of the world to help shine the spotlight on ending poverty.
MTV Networks Music Group president Van Toffler said, Music has always served as a lightning rod for social change and commentary. Over the last few weeks, an incredible passion has been building around Live 8s mission and we want to help bring that passion back to our audience. By empowering our viewers to take action against poverty, we’re reinforcing the message that as world citizens, we’re all in this together.”
According to Live 8’s worldwide executive producer Kevin Wall, “America Online recognises that the Live 8 show is gaining momentum and becoming bigger by the minute and in the spirit of the event, have decided to open the door and get it to as many people as possible. They are delighted to have MTV and VH1 come on board and contribute.”
This marks the longest period MTV has gone live for a televised event since Woodstock 99. 20 years ago MTV presented wall to wall coverage of the first Live Aid concert organized by Sir Bob Geldofs organization, Band Aid.
A veritable whos who of rock and pop music performed from two stadiums on two continents to benefit African famine relief. Many of the now legendary artists who performed at the original Live Aid will be on hand for this years Live 8, along with current artists from every musical genre including pop, rock, hip-hop, rap and country.
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.
