News Broadcasting
Music Venue blueFROG comes to Pune
MUMBAI: Music Goliath blueFROG is all set to launch in Pune, India. While blueFROG as a venue is slated to open at the end of the year, it will launch an open-air annexure, The Amphitheatre on November 21st with electronica giants Above and Beyond, followed by other exciting acts, the schedule of which will be announced soon.
The Amphitheatre can accommodate up to 2000 people and is fully equipped with a stage, lights and a sound system. It is housed in the Ishaniya Mall, in Kalyani Nagar opposite the Poona Club Golf Course and will lead off from the blueFROG Club.
In the lead up to blueFROG opening, we will see the “Amphibian Series” taking place in the amphitheatre, kicking off with Above and Beyond on November 21st, followed by Fatoumata Diawara, Erik Truffaz and DJ Miss Nine among others. The gigs that form a part of the Amphibian series will demonstrate the diversity of programming that blueFROG will be bringing to the table and reflect the quality and broad spectrum of artists that blueFROG has been known to be program and will continue to program in Pune.
DICE Hospitality in partnership with blueFROG is bringing the brand into Pune. Partners Ishan Bhale and Govind Thakker who head DICE Hospitality have strong roots in the Pune community and a desire to stand out in the hospitality and entertainment sectors. It is their collective vision to bring a brand to Pune that has cemented itself into people’s musical consciousness across India and, with the people of Pune, grow this into a revolution that supports all genres of music and the arts.
Indian and international live concerts, electronica superstars, orchestras, dance performances, folk and classical music and theater will all be a part of the programming. The idea is to create an experience and a community and invite Punekars to become a part of this movement and indeed take ownership of it.
blueFROG in Pune, like its Mumbai and Delhi counterparts will enable access to genres of music from around the world and India and bring an exquisite F&B offering to the table.
Says Govind Thakker, DICE Hospitality, “We are very excited to be partnering with BlueFROG, knowing that they have successfully revolutionized the way music is consumed by audiences and the variety they have been able to provide and create a venue that has accentuated the artists. We believe that Pune as a city has always been rich in its music and art culture. The audiences in Pune have always been very open to various genres of music. From the days of the Peshwa’s music has been an integral part of “Puneri” culture with many regional and local bands performing on a regular basis.”
“We have always been inclined towards promoting music, and are connoisseurs of the arts. This partnership with BlueFROG, we believe, is the perfect synergy between like-minded people who are creative and focused to give the city of Pune a new vibrant, trendsetting and fun music venue,” Ishan Bhale, DICE Hospitality added.
Says Simran Mulchandani, Managing Director blueFROG, “Pune has always had an ear for music and has resonated with performances of the biggest names in music. In Dice Hospitality, we have found the ideal partners to bring blueFROG to Pune. Ishan Bhale and Govind Thakker are ideal co-conspirators, who understand the real estate and F&B markets in Pune very well. We will be bringing the best aspects of blueFROG to Pune, all our partnerships, our mobile and web platforms, our content creation expertise, that will make the Pune blueFROG thrive and become the center of music activity. We are also in the process of networking with such partners in other key metros including Bangalore, so that through the synergy of our collective competencies we can create landmark destinations offering the most sought-after mix of music, F&B and culture.”
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.
