News Broadcasting
Viacom18 and Mondelez India come together to celebrate Valentine’s Day
Mumbai: Viacom18 in association with Mondelez India is all set to release a light-hearted celebratory song ‘Single Single’ this Valentine’s Day. The song, created as a brand solution content for Cadbury 5 Star, will debut exclusively on Viacom18’s social media handles.
‘Single Single’ is a song that encapsulates Cadbury 5 Stars’ laissez-faire positioning to ‘Do Nothing.’ Written and sung by Nikita Gandhi, the song stars celebrity influencer Anushka Sen. As part of this brand collaboration, Viacom18 has also planned an extensive marketing blitz driving instream inventory and interstitial ads across its social media handles.
This campaign was conceptualised by Mondelez India and Wavemaker India in partnership with Viacom18.
Viacom18 branded content-head Vivek Mohan Sharma said, “We are delighted to collaborate with Cadburys 5 Star and celebrate the festival of love with the country. ‘Single Single’ is a jovial song intended to uplift the mood and normalize singlehood this Valentine’s Day. Through Nikhita Gandhi’s voice and Anushka’s grace, we have created a harmonious symphony that is sure to bring smiles.’
Mondelez India spokesperson said that the association brings yet another rendition of our mantra to take a break and ‘Do Nothing’ even when the world pushes you to participate in the merriment of love this Valentine’s Day. “Being at the center of today’s youth culture, the song ‘Single Single’ aids in molding our brand message the way they’d like to express and communicate to the rest of the world aka celebrate singlehood. Our strategic collaboration with Viacom18 will ensure unmatched entertainment across social media handles and spread cheer in India,” stated the spokesperson.
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.
