News Broadcasting
Zee TV claims increase in channel shares
NEW DELHI: Happy days for the Zee family of channels? If the flagship, Zee TV, is moving ahead by garnering an additional channel share in the entertainment channels genre of about 20 per cent, Special Correspondent on Zee News completes 150 episodes, which will be celebrated with a special two-part series over the weekend.
But accused of its programmes failing to create the buzz, like those of its competition, Zee is out to prove critics wrong. Quoting data made available to the channel, it said yesterday that Zee TV increased its channel share by 20 per cent in the north and west markets amongst female 25+ and also amongst C&S 4+ during the week ended 18 October, 2003 riding the wave of its new launches.
In the first week of October, Zee TV launched its two new shows, Tum Bin Jaoon Kahan, a love saga produced by Aroona Irani and Kabhie Kabhie, which is a series of short-stories, encapsulating the Indian literature and showcasing strong character of Indian woman.
In October itself, Zee TV also announced the new line up of Thursday Premiere movies with some fantastic Bollywood blockbusters like Arman, Chori Chori and Darna Mana Hein.
Commenting on the increase in the channel share, Zee TV president Apurva Purohit said, ” We started the month of October on a positive note and were expecting such a great response from our viewers. We are positive that with strong programming content we will soon be able to further increase our channel share and thus consolidate our position in the market.”
Adding further, she said, “Tum Bin and Kabhie Kabhie have got some amazing response from our viewers. We have been getting positive feedback from our viewers via e-mails and letters. In fact, Tum Bin. has started with positive ratings of 2+ in Northern and Western markets and 6 + in state of Madhya Pradesh. In SEC A B C female 25+, Tum Bin has got ratings of 3.54 in Mumbai, 4.36 in Delhi, 5.91 in Uttar Pradesh 1 million+ and in Madhya Pradesh we got ratings to the tune of 6.08 TVRs. We see this as a positive move and heartening response from our viewers for the new programmes.”
Zee TV has been showcasing the strong character of the Indian women, be it Astitva Ek Prem Kahani, Mansha.
For November Zee TV has lined up some new releases like Oops, Market, Hungama and Main Madhuri Dixit Banana Chati Hoon under the Thursday Premiere property.
Zee TV, the flagship channel of Zee Network, was launched in October 1992. With a reach of more than 80 countries and access to more than 225 million viewers globally, Zee TV has created brand equity and is the largest media franchise serving the South Asian diaspora. .
Zee TV`s programming delivers a variety of choices for all segments of the audience, including primetime comedy and drama series, television movies, miniseries, theatrical films, specials, children’s programs, daytime dramas, game shows, and late night shows.
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.
