News Broadcasting
BBC launches online film network in the UK
MUMBAI: BBC Film Network (bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork) – the interactive showcase for new British short film-making talent has been launched as a full service with new features and a new generation of films including the online premiere of Joe Penhall’s The Undertaker starring Rhys Ifans.
The UK pubcaster says that BBC Film Network had launched as a trial in January 2005 to promote new British filmmakers and has been growing ever since – with 50,000 unique users in September and the most popular films receiving 1,200 viewings a week. An ever-expanding library of short films is available online, allowing new film-makers and film fans to view g new work, create online profiles and share information with the creative community.
The site already hosts more than 150 high-quality short films and has more than 3,000 registered members. Three new films are featured every week – from traditional drama and documentaries to cutting edge animation and music promos – adding to a growing catalogue showcasing the work of the UK’s best new film talent. The site launched in collaboration with the UK Film Council, and includes a number of shorts funded through their digital short scheme.
Since then, BBC says that its film network has developed links with a large range of partners from within the industry and is currently working with: short distributors Dazzle, Short Circuit and onedotzero; events like Brief Encounters, London and Edinburgh Film Festivals; other organisations like the British Council and Shooting People; as well as record labels such as Warp.
The site acts as a shop window for the industry with each partner curating selections of films showcased on site. Film Network also accepts direct submissions from film-makers and 46 of the showcased films have been submitted directly through the website. The new improved site, which launched at the London Film Festival, will include new features like audience charts of the highest rated films, an improved film catalogue and more sophisticated profile pages, plus, a panel of industry of experts giving online feedback.
There will also be a new magazine section, launching at the end of November. It will include interviews, profiles and masterclasses with established film-makers, and programmes of themed shorts and other features around the art of film-making that inspire discussion and debate amongst the site’s regular users. Later this year the site will also trial rights-managed, hi-res downloads which will allow audiences to watch the very best shorts full screen in near-DVD quality.
bbc.co.uk interactive executive Gerard O’Malley said, “With BBC Film Network you get for the first time a real overview of what is happening at this level in the film industry and a sense of a real body of work. I hope that future successful film-makers will look back on the Film Network as a real turning point in their careers. I hope too that the wider audience will continue to develop a taste for the short film.”
A senior producer Matt Walton said: “It’s surprising how quickly the site has become established within the world of short films. Everyone you speak to is very positive about the BBC providing this kind of service. We hope now to push the site further and help to develop a wider audience for up and coming British film-makers. As part of Europe’s biggest content website we should be in a position to do that. If more people get to see some of the great, interesting work that’s being produced but rarely seen, then we’re doing our job.”
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.
