News Broadcasting
Longtime BBC Radio presenter Roger Bennett passes away
MUMBAI: BBC Radio’s longstanding presenter Roger Bennett passed away a couple of days ago. The 69 year old had worked with BBC Radio Bristol since its inception in 1970.
In his years presenting Morning West he received many awards and became the longest serving breakfast presenter on British radio. He won the prestigious Sony Radio Presenter of the Year in 1983; was voted Local Broadcaster of the Year in 1994; and in 1998, was honoured with a Sony Gold Achievement award for his dedication to local radio.
He once said, “To me, local radio is an end in itself. I enjoy it as much now as I did when we set up Radio Bristol in 1970. For me it’s better than ever.” However his proudest moment came when Bristol University presented him with an honorary Masters degree in July 1997. “I was astounded when I heard about the degree but I’m very honoured. It makes it worthwhile getting up at 4.30 every morning for the past 23 years. And it’s an award for BBC local radio too”.
BBC Radio Bristol’s managing editor, Jenny Lacey paid tribute to Bennett saying, “Roger was first and foremost a much-loved member of staff and we will miss him terribly – as will his countless listeners and fans across Bristol. He was a superb journalist who was able to get to the heart of any story, while still being unfailingly courteous to every one of his interviewees. He was very much admired by listeners, who saw him as epitomising everything that Radio Bristol stood for. He had a real passion for his beloved native city and a completely encyclopaedic knowledge of its highways, byways and history. All of us here express our sincere condolences to Roger’s wife, family and friends. He was truly inimitable.”
The BBC says that Bennett had always been at the heart of local news, following his father into journalism at the Bristol Evening Post and at one stage becoming Britain’s only known TV columnist to not own a television set. After 17 years as a print journalist Bennett joined the BBC’s inaugural local news team for Radio Bristol in 1970. Here he began working on Morning West, where – with Michael Buerk as presenter and Kate Adie reporting from the radio car – Roger took to the skies in a spotter plane, keeping listeners advised about traffic conditions.
In 1974, he became the main presenter, a position which he remained until his retirement in 2003. Since then Bennett continued to work for Radio Bristol in a freelance capacity and ever the consummate professional – despite being treated for cancer.
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.
