News Broadcasting
KBC 2013 gets its first Female Crorepati of the season
MUMBAI: ‘Aap crorepati ban gayi hain’ resonated one last time on the sets of India’s most loved quiz game show Kaun Banega Crorepati as host Amitabh Bachchan congratulated hot seat contestant Firoz Fatma. Hailing from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Firoz Fatma is the first female contestant this season to walk away with the most desired title, that of a ‘Crorepati’ on this life changing game show.
A BSc. Student, Firoz never wanted her sister to stop her studies, so she sacrificed her education due to financial problems. She participated in the game show to win a certain amount to pay off her deceased father’s loan. On the second last day of the game, Firoz had lost all her hopes to make it to the hot seat. But her knowledge which she gathered only by reading newspapers and watching news channels helped her reach the most celebrated hot seat.
After winning a crore an excited Firoz said, “I was very nervous when I wasn’t able to make it to the hot seat in the second last episode and felt I have to go home empty handed. But then I aced the fastest finger first round and made my way to the hot seat. Also, I didn’t feel as the 1 Crore winner until the audience clapped and Bachchanji hugged me. It is a great feeling”.
With the winning amount, Firoz wants to help her family get rid of the loan and study further. She also wants her mother to live a tension free life.
Tune in to witness the excitement of the first female Crorepati of the season on Sunday 1st December, 8:30pm only on Sony Entertainment Television
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.
