News Broadcasting
BBC Worldwide sells shows to Australia’s Seven Network
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC’s commercial arm BBC Worldwide has sold several shows to Seven Network in Australia.
The shows that the Australian network has purchased include The Whistleblowers, Mistresses, Judge John Deed, Gavin and Stacey and In India with Sanjeev Bhaskar.
Starring Richard Coyle (Coupling) and Indira Varma (Bride and Prejudice, Rome), The Whistleblowers is a thriller in which two former lawyers expose political and corporate mismanagement, negligence and greed. It looks at the cost of integrity, and the risks of speaking out.
Mistresses offers a take on modern life and love from Ecosse Television. Starring Sarah Parish and Sharon Small, this part-drama, part-thriller follows a group of girlfriends whose lives have taken very different turns.
Meanwhile, perennial ladies’ man but all-round good chap Judge John Deed returns for a fifth series.
The comedy slate is led by Gavin and Stacey, the new comedy from Baby Cow Productions. It tells the story of an ordinary boy and an ordinary girl (Joanna Page) and how their brand new love affair proves that there is no such thing as ordinary after all.
In India with Sanjeev Bhaskar attempts to get under the skin of modern India and to explore the legacy of the Raj.
BBC Worldwide’s senior sales manager (Australasia) Amber Knight says, “From sexy contemporary drama to brand new comedy to Sanjeev Bhaskar’s very personal journey to modern India, there is certainly something for everyone. It’s a superb collection and we are thrilled to have concluded this deal with the Seven Network.”
Seven’s head of programming (strategy and acquisitions) John Stephens says, “The product will definitely enhance Seven’s already strong 2008 schedule, and certainly be more than useful in attracting larger audiences, particularly to our Saturday night lineup, where for the past couple of years the Network has achieved good returns with a purposeful slant towards British content.”
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.
