News Broadcasting
Zee News rolls out poll programming
MUMBAI: Jaspal Bhatti could well be Zee News’ answer to the Aaj Tak ploy of roping in Javed Jaaferi for a satirical spin on the forthcoming elections.
Along with other news channels that are pulling up their socks in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections, Zee News has lined up a slew of shows, some peppy and some serious, to train the spotlight on the biggest newsy event of the season.
Kicking off proceedings will be packages related with all aspects of electioneering called Singhasan Ka Final. It could be anything from Mumbai’s own Govinda joining politics to Laloo’s family’s political rhetoric. The highlight however is funnyman Bhatti’s three-minute sarcasm packed skits Khabar Tadka–Chunav Ki Bhatti Se which will run right through the election period.
In Janata Mange Hisaab, key constituencies will be featured and the sitting MP will be confronted with a report card prepared by reporters. In a similar vein, Chunav Chaupal will bring the people and elected representatives face-to-face with a host of issues on the agenda. The half-hour programme reminiscent of courtyard discussions in the countryside will be televised via high technology outstation broadcast vans across the length and breadth of the country, says an official release.
Each step towards power would be closely followed by Zee News in its eight-minute campaign trail called Daurey Par Netaji. Correspondents will spend the entire day with select leaders to capture their style of canvassing and to find out what makes them tick.
A similar trailblazer with stars from the fields of cinema, television, sport and art, aptly titled Daurey Par Abhinetaji will also shortly go on air, as will weekly opinion polls called Kaun Kitne Paani Main. These would relate to party performances and issues affecting the common man. There will also be informal chats in Chunavi Gupshup at random venues, where people would be casually asked about what elections mean to them and about their political preferences.
Shatranj Ke Khilari will be a half-hour programme featuring studio discussions with leaders of different parties pitted against each other. There will also be some fillers about trivia on elections called Chunavi Chatpat. These spicy bits of information would pop in and pop out through the day.
News Broadcasting
Network18 posts Rs 1,955 crore revenue, narrows FY26 losses
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.
