News Broadcasting
BBC triumphs at AIB Intl Broadcasting Awards
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has announced that it has won three awards at the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) Awards in London. BBC World was named the International Television Channel Of The Year, while BBC World Service won two awards for the Best Coverage Of A News Event and Best Radio Documentary.
The jury, which comprised senior executives from the broadcasting organisations plus television and radio critics in the UK and around the world, cited BBC World Service’s coverage of the South Asian Earthquake, which won Best Coverage Of A News Event award, as “most impressive in every respect.”
Return To Sarajevo won Best Radio Documentary Programme for what the jury described as “a stunningly vivid documentary, extraordinarily powerful and impeccably produced.”
BBC World was named International Television Channel of the Year for its “excellent coverage of stories and high presentation values.”
BBC’s Global News Division director Richard Sambrook says, “The BBC’s international services are honoured to have been selected by the industry against some stiff competition. We consider this a great endorsement for the exceptionally hard work of our teams of journalists around the globe both on radio and television. It is their coverage and analysis of complex events which has been responsible for attracting more viewers to BBC World and more listeners to BBC World Service than ever before, particularly at a time when people are trying to make sense of our rapidly changing world.”
The Association for International Broadcasting Awards are a non-commercial celebration of success that focusses on international, cross-border broadcasting.
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.
