News Broadcasting
BBC, Pact agree on new media rights
MUMBAI: The BBC and the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (Pact) which represents independent producers in the UK have finalised amendments to their existing terms of trade agreement. This gives BBC audiences enhanced opportunities to view their favourite programmes across all platforms and allowing independent production companies greater freedom to exploit new media rights.
The new deal is the first to be struck on new media rights by Pact and a major UK broadcaster and has been achieved within the 31 May deadline for agreement set by Ofcom as part of its TV Production Sector Review.
The key changes to the existing Terms of Trade provide for:
Enhanced opportunities to catch up on BBC programming via the public service window.Viewers will be able to catch up on any episodes of a series they have missed on-demand while the series is still going out. Viewers will also be able to download and store programmes locally to view later. Once accessed, they have seven days to view them. Commercial video-on-demand rights will be available to exploit in the UK for the first time. Independents will also have greater freedom to exploit other new media rights and enjoy an improved share of revenue from commercial exploitation in the UK.
In addition, the BBC will simplify and streamline its procedures in relation to its holdback policy – making the use of independent programmes in the UK much easier and more straightforward.
BBC Television COO Bal Samra said, “There have been some tough negotiations but there is agreement on both sides that these amendments strike a great deal for both the independent production sector and the licence fee payer.”
BBC director of television Jana Bennett said, “This deal has improved what was a fairly narrow public service new media window to view programmes. It creates the possibility – subject to the necessary approvals – for audiences to catch up with their favourite BBC programmes at their convenience. It’s great news for viewer choice and for anyone who wants flexibility as to when and how they watch our output.”
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.
