News Broadcasting
BBC World Service to kick off roadshow in Northern India from Thursday
MUMBAI: BBC World Service has announced that its radio service BBC Hindi hopes to meet more than 20,000 listeners in a series of roadshow events across three states in Northern India. From tomorrow 16 November to Monday 25 December, Your world, your voice is taking BBC Hindi teams to 14 towns across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkand, engaging audiences in lively debates broadcast live on the BBC, together with other activities, including street theatre and website demonstrations.
The debates have been inspired by local residents who took part in specially-commissioned research. Conducted by the Delhi-based rural research agency, Prastut Consulting, the research is based on interviews with decision-makers and residents at each of the roadshow locations and gives the BBC invaluable insights into what really matters to its audiences in India’s heartland.
BBC Hindi head Achala Sharma says, “We always keep our hand on the pulse of India: what concerns them, what their expectations are, what they want to change in their lives. The special research we commissioned this year is a real treasure trove, giving us first-hand information which will form the basis of our roadshow debates as well as our programming in general.
“All those interviewed for this research said that they see the BBC as being able to influence change. That’s why we are looking forward to meeting our audiences in this roadshow.”
Connecting with local culture, the BBC uses traditional Kalamkari artwork throughout the Your world, your voice roadshow. Street theatre will open each event with a dramatised demonstration of the values and benefits of listening to the BBC. There will also be demonstrations of the bbchindi.com website. Simultaneously, BBC World Service has organised purely promotional activity in 34 towns of the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan using the campaign imagery and messages.
BBC Hindi programmes are produced from studios in London and New Delhi and are set in a rolling format, with news, current affairs and features. The interactive morning and evening programmesAaj Ke Din and Aaj Kal, bring the BBC Hindi listeners news, analysis and interviews on issues, from current affairs and careers to showbiz and sports.
BBC Hindi is available on short wave and medium wave radio and via cable television.
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.
