News Broadcasting
Terrorism can destroy democracy: BBC survey
MUMBAI: People across the world believe that terrorism can destroy democracy. This is one of the core findings of a survey commissioned by BBC World to international market research company Synovate.
The survey was carried on 12,000 people across 15 countries on five continents. The survey was commissioned as part of a wider exploration of global attitudes to democracy to be aired during BBC World’s Why Democracy?.
58 per cent of the respondents believe that terrorism can destroy democracy. The country with the highest seeming concern is France with 76 per cent agreeing, closely followed by Denmark with 75 per cent, Dubai with 72 per cent and the United States with 70 per cent. 37 per cent in Italy and 31 per cent in India strongly oppose that terrorism can destroy democracy.
USA with 57 per cent votes is the best equipped country to combat climate change, while China could manage 22 per cent votes. But only 40 per cent of India’s respondents believe that United States’ ability to combat climate change.
On the other hand, 84 per cent of the total respondents feel that it is important to vote. France with 82 per cent is the most convinced country on the importance of voting. Other countries sharing similar strength of opinion include Denmark, South Africa, the USA and India. In Russia, however, just 34 per cent believe that voting is important.
BBC World editorial director Sian Kevill said, “There are many fascinating national variations to come out of this survey, but I was particularly struck by how people in some of the world’s longest established democracies, seem to have an element of fear over how fragile that could prove in the face of terrorism.”
Synovate global head of media research Steve Garton said, “We set out to reflect people’s feelings across the world about how important role democratic process played in their lives. The answers may surprise some, showing a diversity of opinion. Interestingly, it is precisely this diversity of opinion that underpins democratic principles.”
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.
