News Broadcasting
Current affairs dominate BBC World’s schedule this season
MUMBAI: BBC World has lined up a wide range of programming over the next three months. These will explore contemporary current affairs. The channel will also air documentaries.
New programmes for the channel will include a revealing account of the secret war between the Western intelligence agencies and Al-Qaeda’s networks in The Third World War – Al-Qaeda. Another unique special is One Day of War. This was filmed simultaneously in 16 different conflict zones on 22 March 2004. There will also be full coverage of the US Presidential elections on 2 November.
The three-part series The Third World War – Al-Qaeda will air in November. It looks at the growing global threat from the perpetrators of terror. Soon after 9/11, it became clear that a global enemy could only be countered by an international global response. That would mean unprecedented international co-operation and, critically, the sharing of intelligence between governments and counter-terrorism agencies.
Presented by Peter Taylor, who has covered international security matters for three decades, these programmes focus on the response of the US, Western Europe and South East Asia.
One of the beeb’s major current affairs specials is The World Uncovered. This will confront strong, hard-hitting stories that are affecting people’s lives around the world. Next month, the channel will continue its exclusive investigations into the most contentious global issues. In Ethiopia – A Journey with Michael Buerk, the award-winning journalist returns to the east African country to see what has happened in the 20 years since his reports highlighted the devastating famine there.
The above mentioned One Day of War in December follows the lives of individuals involved in 16 widely different conflicts across the world. Filmed simultaneously by video producers over a single 24-hour period, the two-part documentary reveals shocking stories of the modern world at war.
From Shusila in Nepal to Mukhtar in Somalia, these people reveal their reasons for fighting and their hopes for the future to paint an intimate portrait of the fear, the excitement and, often, the sheer banality of life at war.
In the last week of December, the channel will air World Review. This is a series of programmes that look back at the main stories of 2004 and focusing on some of the key regional issues. On the sports front, the channel will air Spirit of Golf. The four-part series encapsulates the heritage, tradition, nostalgia and competitive skills of the royal and ancient game of golf.
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.
