News Broadcasting
Barton elected chairman of World Broadcasting Unions’ sports body
MUMBAI: The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) head of sport, John Barton, has been appointed as chairman of the World Broadcasting Unions’ (WBU) Sports Committee.
Barton was unanimously elected by representatives of the sport committee convening at a recent World Broadcasting Unions (WBU) meeting. He will represent broadcast unions from Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean with a combined television audience of five billion people, states a press release.
“I am delighted to take on this additional role and the challenges it poses,” Barton said from Kuala Lumpur.
“There are difficult times ahead for many free-to-air broadcasters in the new media environment, and for sports federations eager to see their product televised to the masses,” he added.
He said he would also be focusing on strategies to counter the continuing escalation in broadcast rights fees, and how the various media assets would be exploited in the years to come.
Earlier this year, Barton was appointed to the Radio and Television Commission of the International Olympic Committee, which overseas all elements of broadcast operations for both the Summer and Winter Games, adds the release.
The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union is a non-profit, non-government, professional association of broadcasting organisations, formed in 1964 to facilitate the development of broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region and to organise co-operative activities amongst its members.
It currently has over 150 members in 55 countries, with its broadcaster members reaching a potential audience of about 3 billion people. The ABU provides a forum for promoting the collective interests of television and radio broadcasters, and engages in activities to encourage regional and international co-operation between broadcasters.
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.
