News Broadcasting
BBC to sell Technology subsidiary
LONDON: The BBC will sell its wholly-owned commercial subsidiary BBC Technology. The move follows a strategic review of the BBC’s technology requirements for the next decade.
The review identified potential annual savings for the BBC of between 20 – 30 million if its technology services were outsourced.
The review concluded that the BBC should conduct an European Union (EU) procurement process in which the winner would buy BBC Technology. As part of that process it will take on about 1,400 staff currently employed by BBC Technology.
Combining the procurement process with the sale of BBC Technology as a whole means the BBC can leverage maximum value and, as a result, invest more money in its programmes and services. The sale is subject to the approval of the Secretary of State for culture, media and sport.
The move offers growth opportunities for the staff at BBC Technology as the company will undoubtedly attract bids from major technology businesses with scale and expertise. 1,400 people are likely to transfer with BBC Technology to the successful bidder after the EU procurement process. This is due to be completed next year.
BBC Technology was created a couple of years ago to deliver significant savings to the BBC through its contract for technology services, including desktop support, and to generate third party revenues. The company has won important contracts in the UK and abroad with companies such as Hutchison 3G, ESPN, DirecTV and National Public Radio. Last year, BBC Technology delivered 19 million in profits and price reductions back to the BBC.
BBC Director-General Greg Dyke was quoted in an official release saying, “By taking our technical support contract to the market and selling BBC Technology we can achieve significant savings over a sustained period of time. We would also expect to receive a significant sum of cash for the business. While some BBC Technology staff will inevitably feel worried about the prospect of change we’ve reached the conclusion that this is a win/win situation for the BBC and the staff.
“This way the staff will continue working on BBC business. However at the same time BBC Technology, which has been very successful at winning outside contracts, will get the capital injection it needs to expand further albeit in someone else’s ownership. When we were given our current funding agreement in the year 2000 by Chris Smith, the then Secretary of State for culture, media and sport, he made it a condition that we raised an additional one billion over the next seven years. He suggested one way of contributing to that was to sell a BBC asset. This is what is now planned.”
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
