News Broadcasting
Junior Masterchef kids step out of the kitchen to visit Adlabs Imagica!
MUMBAI: After weeks of grueling competition, Junior MasterChef contestants had a reason to rejoice! The kids were surprised by the Chefs with an experience that would bring them close to different flavours of food and at the same time pump them up with an adrenaline rush as they geared up to battle it out right till the Finale!
For the first time, the kids were taken out of the kitchen for a fun outdoor trip to Adlabs Imagica, India’s largest entertainment theme park at Khopoli. Chef Vikas, Chef Kunal and Chef Surjan Singh Jolly along with the entire unit of Junior Masterchef Swaad Ke Ustaad were seen shooting a special outdoor segment at the theme park through the day. While the little contestants were thrilled to experience the rides, the Chefs were taken back into time and reminisced their childhood days. From the roller coaster – Gold Rush Express to the Magic Carousel, a merry go round, the judges and the kids ensured that they made the most of this experience and tried every ride!
With the MasterChef team around, one thing you can be sure of is that they would skip a chance to satiate their taste buds – try out the food palate offered. The Chefs and kids tasted different cuisines at Red Bonnet American Dinner to the Imagica Capital to Roberto’s Food Coaster.
Talking about the experience, Chef Kunal said, “This place reminded me of all the fun things that I have done as a child with my friends. It was really great, the contestants and all of us bonded well, we had good time together something that we have been planning for a while. The kids really brought out the child in us.”
Sakshi who was amazed to be at the park said, “I had never seen such a huge park and such huge rides. We enjoyed most of the rides and would have loved to stay a little longer. It was funny to watch the Judges getting scared and screaming on the big rides!”
Tune in to Junior MasterChef Swaad Ke Ustaad every Saturday and Sunday at 9.00 pm only on STAR Plus!
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.
