News Broadcasting
BBC Interactive looking for writers to create new sitcom ‘Cleaners’
BBCi has announced that aspiring writers can apply to become a part of a six member team that will create Cleaners, a sitcom to be developed exclusively over the internet, through BBCi.
An official release says that for the first time the whole process – from the initial plot outline to the final draft – will be available for public viewing. The format has been developed by the BBC’s television comedy development unit and the storyline will rotate around a group of late-night office cleaners.
The six writers selected will work at a virtual writers’ table, viewable by everyone but accessible only to the writers. As the writers discuss characterisations, storylines and make decisions on their individual roles within the group, BBCi users can log on to www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom and tune in to the conversations.
Users can even be part of the process by adding their comments and ideas and on a weekly basis chat with one of the writers. The release states that the British broadcaster views the initiative as an opportunity to see something evolve as well as providing educational value and an insight into how an idea is turned into a fully fledged project.
Under the guidance of the BBC development staff, the writers will produce an episode of Cleaners, which when completed, will be read out and streamed via BBCi by actors, therefore completing the process. The successful writers will be announced on 2 August and the scheme is due to end in mid-November.
BBCi is the name for the BBC’s interactive services working across the web, digital television and hand held mobile devices, providing a single signpost and easier way of getting to the BBC’s great information, entertainment and education services.
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.
