News Broadcasting
The Iconic ‘Seedhi Baat’ makes a comeback on Aaj Tak
MUMBAI: India’s No.1 News channel re-launches the iconic talk show ‘Seedhi Baat’ with a new host and a series of firebrand tough-talk interviews.
Sweta Singh, Executive Editor, Aaj Tak hosted the first episode of the latest edition of the Hindi talk show. BJP President Amit Shah was the guest who addressed straight sharp questions on the show. It premiered on 24th March at 8 p.m.
The one-on-one hard hitting interview format show features newsmakers from different walks of life like politics, bollywood, sports etc. It is quintessential of fearless journalism and embodies a tough-as-nails approach to interviews. Seedhi Baat focuses on getting straight answers through an assertive direct style of questioning.
The guests in Seedhi Baat will be the who’s who from across a wide spectrum. BJP president Amit Shah and UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, to name a few. The channel will also interview bollywood superstars, sports icons and the top leaders in the government.
Seedhi Baat is a weekly show airing every Saturday and Sunday at 8pm. The first episode was telecasted on 24th March, 8pm and the repeat telecast was aired on Sunday at 8pm.
The show has an unparalleled legacy. Personalities like Narendra Modi, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and the likes have graced the show, faced a volley of tough questions, and ultimately revealed the one clear truth behind all that matters.
News Broadcasting
Network18 posts Rs 1,955 crore revenue, narrows FY26 losses
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.
