News Broadcasting
BBC designs new editorial guidelines
MUMBAI: The BBC has launched the latest edition of its editorial guidelines, the corporation’s code of ethics for all BBC staff. The Corporation will introduce a time delay on its live coverage of sensitive news events such as 9 /11 and the school massacre in Beslan, Russia.
The BBC’s editorial system, which was criticised as “defective” by the official Hutton inquiry into the death of scientist David Kelly, who committed suicide after being quoted as the source of a BBC radio report that said the government had hyped Iraq’s weapons threat.
The guidelines formalised are for a multimedia world and the changes apply to everyone involved in creating BBC editorial content across radio, television, new media and magazines.
The new code book replaces the Producers’ Guidelines and has been revised to reflect Ofcom’s new broadcasting code and the changing media environment, and to apply editorial lessons learned since the last update in 2000, says the company release.
The guidelines, which come into effect on 25 July, are shorter and aim to be clearer and easier to use in both print and a searchable web form.
The BBC’s television and radio content must now comply with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code in six key areas: protecting the under eighteens; harm and offense; crime; religion; fairness and privacy.
BBC controller of editorial policy Stephen Whittle says, “The guidelines are part of our contract with our audiences. These are our editorial ethics and values and the standards we set for ourselves. We intend to live and be judged by 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.
