News Broadcasting
BBC sells technology unit to Siemens
MUMBAI: The BBC has announced that, Siemens Business Services has been selected as the Single Preferred Bidder for a new Technology Framework Contract (TFC) for the Corporation. It will also own BBC Technology.
The contract is for 10 years and is worth up to ?2bn. The announcement followed a rigorous European Union (EU) procurement process and approval by the BBC’s Executive Board. The sale needs the approval of the BBC Governors, the secretary of state for culture, media and sport. It will also have to get clearance by the European Commission (EC) under the terms of the EC Merger Regulation.
The BBC further stated that it chose Siemens as it had demonstrated its ability and commitment to invest in technology services and innovation to meet the BBC’s future technology requirements, with significant projected annual cost savings. The deal is expected to be completed later this year once final contract negotiations are over.
Last year in November the BBC made the sell off decision after conducting a strategic review of its technology requirements for the next decade.
The review had identified potential annual savings for the BBC of between ?20-?30 million if its technology services were outsourced. 1,400 people will be transferred to Siemens.
BBC Technology was created three years ago to deliver significant savings to the BBC through its contract for technology services, including desktop support, and to generate third party revenues. BBC Technology has a turnover of ?230m.
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.
