News Broadcasting
Zee TV unveils celeb judge line up for ‘Cinestars’
MUMBAI: Zee TV has announced the people associated with its upcoming talent hunt event Idea Zee Cinestars. In its second edition, the show is going to be judged by Anupam Kher, Pooja Bhatt and Madhur Bhandarkar.
The show will be anchored by Aman Verma.
Announcing the initiative, Zee Network SVP Ashish Kaul said, “Idea Zee Cinestars has so far received lots of entries from young candidates who want to make a name for themselves in Indian cinema. The show will provide participants from various cities an opportunity to court fame and fortune by showcasing their acting and dancing skills.”
He further added, “The hunt will narrow down to two Best performers from the entire nation. 60 participants will be brought down to Mumbai – The City of Dreams, where, over the weeks they will begin to get eliminated to give us the winners of Idea Zee Cinestars.”
This journey to fame is interwoven with the trials and tribulations of the participants who are hoping to be introduced to Hindi cinema as actors. The journey of these contestants working towards winning the title will be shown as a reality series that will be split into various stages and will essentially showcase the ecstasy, trauma, victory and defeat of participants through 18 weeks, informs an official release.
The 60 participants are grouped as couples whom Bollywood’s popular directors and choreographers will groom. Viewers, who will vote for their favourite performers through the weeks, will choose the Best couple., the release adds.
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.
