News Broadcasting
BT Broadcast Services makes presence felt in Asia
LONDON: BT Broadcast Services (BTBS) which claims to be the world-leading supplier of bespoke global broadcast solutions has announced its first-ever move into the Asia Pacific region with a new dedicated operation based in Singapore.
Servicing clients that broadcast ethnic shows to the Chinese and Indian communities around the world in addition to those looking to transmit British and US content into Asia. BTBS Asia Pacific has completed its first project with Celcom, Malaysia’s premier telecommunications service provider, to carry content for the recent Formula One 2003 in Malaysia.
An official release informs that for the first time ever, BTBS enabled footage to be taken directly from the Formula One circuit itself and beamed via satellite to the BT ISDN port in the UK. BTBS MD Mark Smith said: “The Asia Pacific region covers 29 countries, stretching from Australia to Korea and Taiwan to Pakistan, and is becoming an increasingly important area for broadcasters.
“The demand for European programming, such as sporting events and soap operas, is growing, whilst there is a greater need than ever before for Asian content to be transported globally. The Celcom Formula One deal is a significant client win, and a great step towards our aim of developing the region into a broadcast hotspot and further strengthening our presence worldwide,” adds Smith.
Celcom Group CEO Ramli Abbas said: ” Through its initiatives in the Asia Pacific region, BTBS offers Celcom an opportunity to provide a range of innovative and integrated communication solutions within the areas of TV broadcasting.
“BTBS’ entry into the Asia Pacific region will lead to the enhancement of Malaysia’s broadcast and telecommunications industries. This partnership with BTBS provides Celcom yet another platform to share its capabilities beyond Malaysian shores,” adds Abbas.
BTBS provides a comprehensive range of terrestrial and satellite based multimedia transmission solutions as well as systems integration, content and customer management services.
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.
