News Broadcasting
Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards now in India
It’s time to pack the red carpet away and roll out the orange one instead, as the world’s biggest and most entertaining kid’s award show – the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards comes to India this November.
Nickelodeon is known world-over as the # 1 global entertainment brand dedicated to kids. The brand is all about giving kids what they want. With an approach that puts kids first and celebrates them each and every day, Nickelodeon takes pride in encouraging kids to be themselves – funny, messy and free-spirited. Keeping this in mind, Nickelodeon through LIVE Viacom18 is bringing the biggest and most popular Kids award show – The Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award to India for the very first time. The only live awards show of the kids, by the kids and for the kids where kids get to vote across categories for their favorites who will get declared the winners!
With over 25 successful years of enthralling kids, the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards has captured the hearts of kids worldwide. Since its inception, the awards show has been telecast in over 33 countries worldwide. Year on year the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards receives millions of votes from across the world!
The 2013 KCAs reached more than 24.6 million unduplicated viewers in 23 countries including the US across the premiere and encore episodes (more than 10.6 million from the international audience) Further the awards generated a record breaking 148 million International votes, up +284% from last year’s total of 39m. The highest number of votes recorded ever!
The show is known for its fun elements such as orange carpet, orange blimps, green slime mania (term coined by Nickelodeon, where celebrities as a mark of honour, get green slimed!), vivacious performances and kids having a blast. In the past, the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards has witnessed popular personalities such as Johnny Depp, Pitbull and Halle Berry to name a few, presenting awards, performing and winning awards as well! Furthermore, the show has also caught many celebrities off guard by sliming the likes of Justin Bieber, Will Smith and even Daniel Radcliff. This year, it will be interesting to watch our homegrown celebrities and stars have the honor of being slimed at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards India.
Ms. Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Executive Vice President &Business Head, Kids’ Cluster, Viacom 18 Media Pvt. Ltd. says, “At Nickelodeon, we put kids at the core of all that we do. We believe in empowering kids and giving them the opportunity to make their own choices. With Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards now in India, we are giving them a platform where they can voice their choices. We will be their true mouthpiece in every sense of the word!”
Commenting on the launch of the Kid’s Choice Award India, Mr. Jaideep Singh, Sr. Vice President and Business Head – INS, Viacom18 Pvt. Ltd. said, “We are very thrilled and privileged to be at the forefront of bringing an award show of this stature to Indian shores. There is an impressive line-up of celebrity performances and anchors for Nickelodeon’s first ever Kids’ Choice Awards. Part of our LIVE business is to constantly strive to provide fresh and innovative concepts that will not only pique interests of the Indian audience but give an opportunity to advertisers to connect with their audience.”
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.
