News Broadcasting
BBC to conduct debates on public service bradcasting
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC will launch a debate with the public and the creative communities to garner views on public service broadcasting, ahead of its own submission to Ofcom’s Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) review.
Ofcom is looking at how well PSB is being delivered in the UK, its funding models and how it will be consumed in the future.
The BBC’s programme of debate will include:
The Creative Industry Lecture Series – a series of lectures given by Sir David Attenborough, Stephen Fry and Will Hutton in their personal capacity, addressing various aspects of what public service broadcasting delivers to Britain.
There will also be research with the UK’s creative community and the wider audience on their attitudes to public service broadcasting. BBC chairman Sir Michael Lyons and other Trustees will hold a series of direct conversations with the public across the country via radio phone-ins and public meetings to hear directly their views on the BBC, in addition to the Trust’s annual survey of public opinion about the BBC and its delivery of the public purposes.
There will also be research from the BBC Trust that considers the impact of societal changes in the UK on public service broadcasting.
These activities will inform the BBC’s public submission to Ofcom, which will be delivered in June. The BBC is committed to listening to all constituencies ahead of finalising its response to Ofcom.
Lyons says, “Ofcom’s first-stage report raises some important issues which require serious consideration and open debate. The Trust will listen to a wide range of opinion as we consider our response, and we will place special emphasis on the views of the wider public. Their interests must be at the heart of all debates and the conclusions finally reached.”
BBC DG Mark Thompson said, “I am pleased that the Ofcom report reaffirms the audiences’ view that the BBC is the cornerstone of public service broadcasting in Britain. As part of our engagement with the review, I want to focus on what our audiences want from us in the future.
“The BBC has always innovated, but I am really struck by the early successes of iPlayer. How audiences will want to receive programmes like Doctor Who, Gavin And Stacey or News 24 in the future is something that we’ve done a lot of thinking about. I’m looking forward to hearing from the public and the creative industries what they want from the BBC as we move to a digital society.”
The BBC has launched a website (bbc.co.uk/thefuture) to support Ofcom’s PSB Review and encourage debate, as well as capture lectures, ongoing research, and speeches.
The creative industry lecture series will begin with Sir David Attenborough on 30 April. Stephen Fry will follow on 7 May and Will Hutton on 15 May. The lectures will be published in a book, which will be available online and broadcast on BBC Parliament, as well as being available to stream or download on BBC iPlayer.
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.
