News Broadcasting
Jon Beazley is BBC acting controller entertainment commissioning
MUMBAI: Jon Beazley will be BBC’s acting controller of entertainment Commissioning. The controller of entertainment commissioning Jane Lush and Fenia Vardanisexecutive editor, format entertainment Vardanis will leave the BBC to start their own independent production company.
Beazley who is currently the executive editor of mainstream entertainment commissioning, will take on the acting role with immediate effect and will be responsible for all commissioning and new ideas development. Lush and Vardanis will continue to work on the delivery of projects already commissioned until they leave the BBC later this year to start up the new company, which is being backed by Television Corporation.
The duo, working closely with colleagues in entertainment commissioning, production and the independent sector, have been involved in bringing shows like Strictly Come Dancing, The Apprentice, Dragons’ Den and Comic Relief does Fame Academy to millions of viewers. BBC Television direcxtor Jana Bennett, said, “From Strictly Come Dancing to Fame Academy Does Comic Relief, Jane – working closely with Fenia and commissioning and production colleagues – has been instrumental in bringing the glitz and glamour of sequins and stilettos back to Saturday night television. Add to that their ability to spot and work with in-house and independent programme makers to bring on innovative and entertaining formats, such as Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice, and you have a very potent mix. We look forward to them bringing more stardust back to the BBC as independent programme makers.
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.
