News Broadcasting
Delhi scribe to host BBC special editions
NEW DELHI: BBC World Service is taking its flagship news and current affairs programme, The World Today for South Asia, to Delhi, where it will be co-presented by Political Editor of The Asian Age newspaper, Seema Mustafa.
The special editions of The World Today on 2 and 3 December, will establish tie-ups between Delhi and Islamabad and air discussions between prominent Kashmiris on both sides as well as the customary up-to-the minute coverage of the main news stories around the region and across the world, according to a press release from BBC World.
There will be a special report from the mountain kingdom of Bhutan about the pace of social and political change there. The World Today will also be “testing the temperature” in Gujarat’s election campaign, review the day’s newspapers, bring the latest sport and business news and include,a full range of items – from lifestyle issues, to music and the arts, as well as politics and diplomacy.
Editor of The World Today, Andrew Whitehead said he is delighted that one of India’s top journalists is to host the programme from the Delhi studio: “Seema Mustafa will bring enormous authority and expertise. As a breakfast programme, we aim both to sum-up what’s happened overnight, and signal the main news themes of the day ahead. Having Seema on board will enable us to fulfil those goals that much better.”
Seema Mustafa, who will be joining regular presenter, George Arney, in London, added that she is excited about her new role: “Although I have contributed to The World Today earlier, I see the chance to co-present the programme from here as an exciting challenge to focus on issues of great interest to the listeners in the region.”
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.
