News Broadcasting
BBC Global News to launch multi-media US08 Election bus tour
MUMBAI: BBC Global News has announced its US08 Election bus tour across America to report the build-up to the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, with coverage commencing on Wednesday, 10 September.
The initiative will carry a tri-media team of journalists from BBC World Service radio and online (English network and language services), BBC World News and BBC America television, including flagship news programme BBC World News America, and bbc.com/news.
BBC reporters on the integrated, multi-media US08 Election bus will seek to discover what Americans are really talking about and what the world is saying about their nation.
BBC Global News director Richard Sambrook says, “The BBC US08 Election bus tour is a fine example of multi-platform commissioning enabling us to harness the skills and expertise of our teams from across BBC World Service, BBC World News and bbc.com/news, as we report one of the biggest and significant international news stories of the year”.
Travelling from West coast to East coast, the US08 Election bus will cross 15 U.S. states, clocking up some 4000 miles during its landmark journey, including stops at each of the critical presidential debates in Oxford, Mississippi, Nashville and Long Island.
However, with an objective of finding out what everyday Americans want and need from their new President, the US08 Election bus will also visit smaller towns and outposts along the way. The BBC Global News teams will investigate the real issues at the heart of these communities, with likely topics including the economy, environment, poverty, health care, race and age.
In addition, the US08 Election bus initiative will link Americans with the millions of people around the world watching the electoral race with interest and stimulate a global conversation by reporting international attitudes and perceptions towards America, through a series of overseas outside broadcasts across the BBC’s TV, online and radio services.
BBC World Service senior commissioning editor Anne Koch says, “The BBC US08 Election bus tour is a unique initiative providing international audiences with a global perspective on the real issues within the U.S. election campaign. It offers an alternative insight into the many communities which make up America’s vibrant and diverse society, as well as giving Americans themselves the opportunity to see what the world is saying about them”.
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.
