News Broadcasting
BBC World presenter Karan Thapar wins Asian Television Award
MUMBAI: Karan Thapar, presenter of BBC World’s popular weekly chat show Face to Face, has been named ‘Best Current Affairs Presenter’ at the Asian Television Awards which were held in Singapore.
Face to Face is a programme on BBC World that features captivating interviews with celebrities from all walks of life. Previous guests include Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan, Zakir Hussain, Ratan Tata and Madhuri Dixit. The winning episode which won the accolade at the Asian Television Award featured Radha, Raja and Kaushalya Reddy and was broadcast in February this year.
Previously, Face to Face has showcased great personalities such as Alyque Padamsee, Nafisa Ali, David Davidar and Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. Among those featured in a special series on the arts were Hari Kunzru, Jatin Das, Shovana Narayan, Ustad Vilayat Khan and Usha Uthup.
Commenting on the award, an elated Thapar said, “I am honoured to have received this award and feel the credit should go to the show and the team that puts it together. Over the years, Face to Face has attained enormous success and popularity amongst viewers. BBC World provides a perfect showcase for some of the biggest personalities in the Indian market.”
The Asian Television Awards, now in their eighth year, were instituted to recognise talent in the TV industry in countries such as China, Hong Kong, India and Sri Lanka.
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.
