News Broadcasting
BBC launches ‘Disinformation Unit’ in India to combat misinformation
Mumbai: BBC News has launched a new ‘Disinformation Unit’ in India to uncover, analyse and report on the spread of fake news. According to a statement, a team of dedicated journalists will focus on highlighting false information, debunking viral social media content and investigating how and why it spreads. The team will provide audiences with useful tips and information on how to spot ‘fake news’ and prevent it from spreading further.
Audiences will also be able to report on any fake news they think should be investigated by messaging the BBC’s Disinformation Unit.
This newly launched unit in India is an extension of the BBC’s continued commitment to combat misinformation and is a part of the BBC Global Disinformation unit, which includes experienced journalists based in Africa and the UK.
“Disinformation is a global issue that disregards boundaries of languages, platforms, cultures, and age-groups. Unchecked news can affect health, society and democracy,” said BBC Disinformation editor Rebecca Skippage. “This new team of dedicated journalists will allow us to shine a light on misleading information and help people decide for themselves what to believe and what to mistrust.”
Simultaneously, a scheme called BBC Young Reporter India has rolled out ‘media awareness workshops’ in schools across India to help young people think critically about the media they consume, recognise facts from fake and pause before sharing potentially misleading and harmful information. The workshops are being delivered in partnership with Internews and DataLeads teams.
This initiative will deliver training to seven thousand students across hundred schools in India by the end of the year. Over five thousand have already attended the workshops in more than forty-five Indian cities, said the statement.
“The pandemic has shown the appalling damage that misinformation can cause. Fake cures, anti-vax messaging and conspiracy theories have been widely shared, often by people thinking they are doing the right thing as neighbours and friends,” stated BBC Beyond Fake News head Marie Helly. “It is imperative that the next generation become responsible citizens who understand the difference between fact and fake and can think critically about the media they consume.”
“Trust, accuracy and impartiality are at the heart of the BBC. I am delighted by the quality of the students and trainers who are working together with the BBC to counter the dangers of misinformation here in India,” Helly further said.
The workshops are building a network of young people who can spot disinformation using a BBC fact-checking technique called ‘Real’ and educating the students to think analytically like journalists.
“The workshop actually helped the students to navigate and take the right direction in the digital world. It has been a relevant training session to learn the skill of identifying the authenticity of the news which are at the fingertips of the students in the changed scenario,” commented SRS English Medium School (Brahmavar) Karnataka principal Abhilasha S.
“The BBC Young Reporter workshop has been immensely enlightening and enriching for the students. The webinar was impactful enough to generate awareness amongst the students to be discerning users of social media,” said Delhi Public School (Nazira) Assam headmistress Meenakshi Duarah. “The students were exposed to a lot of significant things to be kept in mind while using social media. Apart from the students, the teachers who attended the webinar also found it beneficial for the students.”
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.
