News Broadcasting
Rajat Sharma grills Kartik Aaryan in ‘Aap Ki Adalat’
Mumbai: Bollywood sensation Kartik Aaryan was interviewed on the popular talk show Aap Ki Adalat by the iconic Rajat Sharma on 21 January. Aaryan, who is currently reigning as the superstar of his generation, faced difficult questions posed by Sharma in the third episode of Aap Ki Adalat.
Aaryan opened up about everything, from his box office success to professional controversies, from spilling the beans about his love life to joining the ranks of Indian superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, and Salman Khan, in an unfiltered session.
According to Airtel RPD, Aap Ki Adalat garnered a whopping 45.1 per cent market share in the 2200–2300 hr time band. This represents a significant advantage over the competition, with Aaj Tak securing 17.2 per cent, News18 India securing 15.9 per cent, Republic Bharat securing 11.1 per cent, and ABP News securing 10.7 per cent (source: Airtel Xstream RPD | all India | 22:00-23:00 Hrs | 21st Jan’23 | relative share among 5 SD Hindi news channels (basis total watchtime)).
The new episodes of Aap Ki Adalat are garnering historical numbers and leaving the competition far behind. The success of the show is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the India TV team, as well as Rajat Sharma’s popularity.
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.
