News Broadcasting
BBC staff strike disrupts live shows
MUMBAI: Thousands of journalists and technicians of British Broadcasting Corp had taken part in a 24-hour long work stoppage. The strike, staged to protest the broadcaster’s plan to cut about 4,000 jobs, disrupted some live news shows.
The shows suffered included Today Show on Radio 4. Instead of the live news between 8:30 am and 9 am, BBC News 24 had a recorded program featuring interviews with two members of 1980s British rock band Duran Duran, known for such songs as Hungry Like the Wolf.’
The BBC2 television station was unaffected, as were the children’s TV channels, said a BBC spokesman. Radio 2 and Radio 3 had live news broadcasts at the top of the hour, as usual, he said.
A BBC statement posted on its official website said, “Industrial action will not remove the need for further consultation or the need for the BBC to implement changes, which will enable us to put more money into improved programs and services.”
It also added, that the BBC believes the best way forward is for unions to return to the table.
In addition to the 24-hour strike, a further 48-hour strike is planned from 31 May to 1 June. Employees are represented by three unions: the National Union of Journalists, Amicus and Bectu, the Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union.
The BBC had announced plans to eliminate 3,780 jobs, partly through outsourcing and the sale of some units, as it prepares for renewal of its 10-year royal charter. BBC director general Mark Thompson sighted that the cutbacks are needed to save money for reinvestment in new types of digital media.
A statement posted on the union’s website National Union of Journalists secretary general Jeremy Dear said, “We knew this strike would be big and get massive backing from staff, but the effect it is having on programming is even greater than expected.”
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.
