News Broadcasting
Rally championship action switches to ITV in UK
MUMBAI: The World Rally Championship (WRC) will move from Channel 4 to ITV1 in the UK. ISC, the TV and commercial rights holders to WRC has signed a new three-year agreement with ITV1.
In India, AXN will start airing WRC action. As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com during the course of the year, 16 races will take place in different locations such as Europe and Australia. The Monte Carlo race kicks off the championship from 23-25 January and will be aired on AXN on 30 January at 9 pm. Highlights of each race will air on the following Friday at the same time.
Meanwhile, ITV1 will all 16 rallies in the 2004 WRC calendar with a comprehensive one hour programme on every Sunday afternoon of each event. In addition, ITV1 will broadcast a 30-minute magazine show previewing and reviewing each rally and extended coverage of Wales Rally GB.
Explaining the decision behind the switching of broadcasters ISCs MD Simon Long had the following remarks to make in an official release. “Channel 4 has played a key role in raising the profile of WRC in the UK. During the past two years; their coverage has brought innovation and excitement to coverage of the sport. However ITV1s ability to give WRC a guaranteed regular Sunday afternoon slot – as part of its commitment to become the home of motorsport – is critical to grow our fan base and establish a mainstream appointment slot for WRC in the UK.”
ITVs sport controller Brian Barwick added, “We are delighted to become the new home of the World Rally Championship. This will be a year-round white knuckle ride in some of the most exotic locations in the world, featuring the ultimate test of both driver and car against the elements. We hope by giving it a regular Sunday afternoon slot we can attract not only the committed rally fan, but also bring a wider audience to the sport.”
Channel 4s David Kerr was not exactly unhappy to see WRC off the programme schedule. He said, “We have enjoyed our association with the WRC and have been able to introduce some of the innovations that have allowed us to revolutionise coverage of the sport on TV, including Virtual Spectator.
” However the irregularity of the sports calendar means that in an increasingly competitive television environment we are unable to continue guaranteeing the slots for it. We feel that the agreement is the best one for the sport and its fans and wish the WRC continued success in the future.”
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.
