News Broadcasting
BBC, Radio Independents Group agree new terms for the UK
MUMBAI: The BBC and the Radio Independents Group (RIG) have agreed new Terms of Trade for commissioning radio programming from independents.
The new terms apply to all programmes commissioned from independent producers since 7 December 2004, when the BBC published a draft framework for the revised terms, based on discussions with the sector. The key points of the new terms of trade are:
– Independents will own all rights (including copyright) in the programmes they produce.
– The BBC will take a licence to use programming across its networks for a period of ten years and to exercise public service new media rights.
– For all programming except comedy, drama and specialist music, there will be an automatic “break clause” after five years if the BBC no longer intends to exercise public service rights in the programme.
– The BBC will be able to extend its licence for a further five years, and on an ongoing basis for long running commissions.
– The BBC will be entitled to a share of net profit arising from the exploitation of all rights in the programming. BBC Radio and Music director Jenny Abramsky said, “We are delighted that the new terms have been agreed. We have been in consultation with the industry since December 2004 to ensure that the new deal structure was fair and represented the interests of both parties.”
RIG chairman Mike Hally said, “We are delighted to have been able to represent the industry so effectively in our first year of existence. It has involved a lot of patient work – and some hard bargaining – on both sides, but the BBC team have engaged positively and constructively with us and the results amply justify the effort. Both our members and the BBC will benefit from what we are all agreed is a fair deal that consigns the ‘all rights’ contracts to history.”
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.
