News Broadcasting
VJ Yudi bids adieu to [V] to follow Bollywood dreams
MUMBAI: After a five year stint with Channel [V], VJ Yudi is all set to take a plunge into Bollywood for which he will be bidding adieu to the music channel and pursue his Bollywood dreams.
Bidding farewell to Yudi, Channel [V] head honcho Amar K Deb says, “If you dream it… do it! That’s what we believe at Channel [V]. We completely support and encourage Yudi’s decision to pursue his dream of a solo acting career and we wish him the biggest, brightest future! At [V] we believe in nurturing our talent. Many of our VJ’s like Ruby Bhatia, Laila, Sophiya, Mahima Chaudhry began their journey to stardom from [V]. We are more than proud of these [V] personalities, who are now hugely successful in their new careers. Its been wonderful to have Yudi as a VJ on the channel, he has been extremely popular with our audiences and we know that this is not the end and that we will be working together in the future. Do us proud Yudi!”
Adds Yudi, “It’s almost like leaving home. These past five years have been an amazing experience… I’ve got so much of love and learning from the guys at [V]. It was a tough decision but I would now like to concentrate on my film career. Thanks Channel [V] for everything. And hey, don’t be surprised if you catch me on [V] from time to time!”
We might just see Yudi as a guest on the channel in the near future… so here’s an actor [V]’d watch out for!
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.
