News Broadcasting
BBC World to air ‘Wheels awards 2002’ as year-end special
NEW DELHI: 24-hour international news and information channel, BBC World, will air the first ever Wheels Awards 2002 today at 11.00 pm as its year-end special.
Winner of the ‘Best Current Affairs or Infotainment Programme Presenter’ at the Asian Television Awards 2002, Niret Alva will present the 30-minute show along with Navaz Sandhu, Paramangsu Mukherjee and Christopher Daruwalla. The award showcases more than 150 cars and 90 bikes.
The best cars were judged in six different categories and the best bikes in seven categories and the most coveted category of awards ‘Wheels Car of the Year’ and ‘Wheels Bike of The Year’ will go to Mahindra Scorpio Diesel and Yamaha Enticer respectively.
According to an official release, all the five car nominees in each category were reviewed on basis of common parameters of engine and performance, value for money, interiors, ride and handling, looks, build and finish, and brand value; while the bikes were adjudged on the basis of engine and performance, suspension, brand value, ride quality and comfort, looks, build and finish, and value for money.
According to Alva, Wheels provides viewers with an impartial and well-researched perspective of the automobiles industry which helps them arrive at a balanced conclusion and Wheels Awards 2002 is a step forward in the same direction.
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.
