News Broadcasting
Strike time for BBC journos
MUMBAI: Journalists at the BBC staged a 48-hour strike on Friday and Saturday to oppose proposed cuts to their pension scheme.
Another strike is set for 15-16 November. Further strike dates, including Christmas Eve/Christmas Day and New Years Eve/New Years Day, are now under consideration.
The National Union Of Journalists (NUJ) says that for many journalists the new pension scheme will mean being tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds worse off in retirement. It says that the BBC‘s rationale for the move – that a potential ?2 billion hole in the pensions fund means that they have no choice – has been blown apart by reports they‘ve commissioned from independent financial experts, which show the figure to be closer to ?1bn. The NUJ has outlined its approach to dealing with the deficit.
The NUJ says that it has consistently offered to suspend strike action, if BBC management agree to negotiate a deal once the state of the funds is properly assessed next April, instead of forcing through a new scheme now. “At that time, we will all finally know what the actual deficit is – rather than an inflated guesstimate.”
The NUJ says that right now, it is not asking the BBC to spend any more money than the BBC has already committed to spend on CAB2011. In fact, for less money it could well be possible to retain the existing scheme with a longer period to repay the deficit – just as many large UK companies have done. That, the NUJ says, would deliver winners all round – better value for money for the licence-fee payer, fair pensions for BBC staff, and an amicable settlement for BBC management.
However BBC DG Mark Thompson has held his ground and says that the new pension plans are fair and have already been modified after talks with staff.
NUJ CEO Jeremy Dear, though, says that the BBC has got so many things wrong, from executive pay to the freezing of the licence fee as well as the cuts to journalists‘ pensions.
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.
