News Broadcasting
AP expands internationally; names Ian Ritchie MD of new division
LONDON: Associated Press (AP) has announced its expansion, with the establishment of its newly named division AP International. The new division is charged with expanding AP’s revenue opportunities outside the US.
AP has named CEO of its international video service Ian Ritchie to be vice-president of global business and managing director of AP International.
Ritchie who presently heads Associated Press Television News (APTN) in London, will report to John Keitt, senior vice president for global business.
A company release quotes Keitt as saying, “This is an exciting opportunity for all of us at AP. Ritchie brings a wealth of experience and expertise to help direct AP’s new growth abroad.”
In addition to pursuing growth and revenue opportunities, AP International will coordinate with regional and New York news executives to add depth and breadth to AP’s global coverage. AP International will also include AP’s London-based video news operation, which was launched in 1994 and now serves hundreds of broadcasters around the globe, the release specifies.
Ritchie became APTN’s CEO in 2000. He came to AP from Middle East Broadcasting Limited (MBC) where he was responsible for television, radio, and transmission of digital and cable operations in the Middle East.
Prior to that, Ritchie was the CEO of Channel 5 Broadcasting Limited. He also served as an executive at Granada Television, Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television, Central Television’s Nottingham Studios and London News Network.
AP has more than 240 bureaus world over, providing news content in text, audio, video, graphics and photos to more than 15,000 news outlets with a daily reach of 1 billion people worldwide.
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.
