News Broadcasting
BBC looks to outsource HR contracts
MUMBAI: UK broadcaster The BBC has published a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). This is the first step in the process to find a new supplier or suppliers for parts of its HR services.
This procurement process follows the announcement last December of the findings of an internal BBC review which proposed that a number of services should be outsourced. This was one of the measures identified to help provide extra resources to reinvest into programmes, and part of the BBC’s radical plans to transform the organisation into a simpler, more agile and creative digital broadcaster.
BBC People director Stephen Dando said, “This is a progressive step for us. I am confident that we will be able to find a long-term partner that can not only help us continue to deliver outstanding quality of service back to the BBC, but also help us to develop and improve that service. I want to make it clear that staff issues and achieving the right cultural fit will be an important part of this deal.”
The BBC is now looking for a supplier or suppliers to several functions. one of these is recruitment. This involves a full recruitment process including attracting and selecting candidates, offers, recruitment marketing (including events and work experience) and contract administration. Another area that an HR service provider will look at is remuneration. This will include pay administration and transaction, benefits administration (excluding pensions), pay and benefits enquiry management.
Then there is the Development area – specifically a 360 degree assessment and feedback, outplacement, training and development for broadcast engineering skills, technical services support. HR administration services will involve HR process administration, provision of HR information, guidance on HR processes and routing of other enquiries.
The BBC sattes that it prefers to award one contract for all of the services. However the BBC will award more than one contract where it is deemed commercially advantageous to do so, or where this is necessary to achieve the required service standards. Potential bidders have 36 days to reply and the pubcaster will then conduct a rigorous evaluation process in order to compile a shortlist of bidders.
News Broadcasting
Network18 trims FY26 losses as Q4 revenue touches Rs 1,955 crore, 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.
