News Broadcasting
BBC World News presents business special on global economy
MUMBAI: BBC World News pans to look at the booming sector of the global economy (gig economy). It has given a special slot on three of its live news programmes wherein it will ask entrepreneurs and workers from across the world throughout the week about what it’s like to be part of the fastest growing sector of the labour market.
Through this, giggers in Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Singapore, London and New York will share their stories on the shows. The viewers can also hear expert views from leading commentators and columnist, Anil Dharker, in Mumbai and Sharing Economy author, Arun Sundararajan, in New York to find out why the gig economy is causing concern amongst companies, workers and governments around the world.
Up to 162 million people in Europe and the US – that’s twenty to thirty percent of the working-age population – earn some form of income through independent work and gigs, according to a recent report. From free agents, who choose this as their primary way of working, to those who gig as a last resort, BBC World News discovers more about the fierce growing debate about the winners and losers.
Advocates of gig economy business modelsargue that it allows people to work more flexibly, however critics say employees lose out on protections such as the minimum wage or sick pay, letting employers offload the risk onto the work force.
The BBC World News gig economy special will air at the following times from 17 to Friday 21 October on World Business Report everyday at 10 am, 11 am, 12.15 pm, 4 pm, 6 pm, 10 pm. Meanwhile, it will also be aired on Asia Business Report every Tuesday and Wednesday at 6 am, 7 am, 8 am and Thursday at 6 am and Friday at 6am, 7am, 8am. It has also made way on Business Live everyday at 1 pm.
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.
