News Broadcasting
BBC uncovers ‘Junior Spooks’ HD series
MUMBAI: The BBC has revealed the cast of its new high-definition children’s spy series from the maker of Spooks, Kudos Film and Television.
MI High (10×30′) follows a high–ranking MI9 agent, played by Danny John Jules (Red Dwarf), as he establishes a ring of undercover agents in an inner-city high school, at a time when threats to UK national security are at an all-time high, asserts an official release.
The series is the first Children’s BBC (CBBC) series to be filmed in HD and follows the broadcaster’s last children’s show, The Magician’s House, adds the release.
Newcomers Bel Powley, Moustafa Chousein-Oglou and Rachel Petladwala star as Daisy, Blane and Rose, the highly trained spies who juggle school work with saving the world. They are joined by guest stars Robert Llewellyn, Rula Lenska, Alex Ferns and Steve Furst.
CBBC head of drama Jon East said, “Filmed in HD – a first for CBBC – with jaw-dropping stunts and high-tech wizardry, MI High brings the quality of Spooks to a children’s drama.”
The series is due to transmit in early 2007 on CBBC, as well as being shown as part of the BBC’s 12-month HD trial, available to viewers with HD services.
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.
