News Broadcasting
BBC launches English University Tour in China
MUMBAI: BBC World Service has announced that its Learning English initiative has for the first time teamed up with China’s major universities for a multi-media English University Tour.
The tour kicked off at Sichuan University in Chengdu a few days ago. The tour will then travel to universities in Nanjing and Tianjin, engaging Chinese students via radio, online and SMS texting. Members of the BBC Learning English team will discuss with the students British culture and the modern English language. Students will also be able to take part in activities ranging from a singing competition to drama performances in English.
BBC Learning English China team Alison Konieczny editor said, “The University Tour will give us a marvellous opportunity to meet our listeners and users of bbclearningenglish.com across China. The Chinese are passionate about learning English, and the tour will help us to further tailor our programmes to their needs.” BBC Chinese business development manager Raymond Li said, “The BBC English University Tour is also a great chance to develop relationships with our radio and online partners in China. By meeting with them face-to-face, we will be able to explore the best ways to further expand our cooperation.”
A prize draw will be held at an event in Tianjin. The first prize is a two-week trip to the UK including a tour of the BBC and an English language training course in London. The winner will be announced on 15 April via the BBC’s online partner, enorth.com.cn. BBC’s Learning English initiative offers education programmes for global audience, including English language teaching programmes and education series about major issues facing the world today.
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.
