News Broadcasting
‘Top of the Pops’ hits Middle East TV screens
LONDON: Music has demonstrated its ability to cut across cultural barriers. Pan-Arab broadcasting group MBC is broadcasting its own version of the UK Top of the Pops show on its new entertainment channel ‘2’. The show is being beamed across the Middle East and to more than 130 million Arabic speaking people around the world. The broadcast came as a result of an agreement negotiated between MBC and BBC Worldwide, the commercial consumer arm of the BBC.
MBC’s celebrity star, Razan is the host of an Arabic version of the UK’s number one chart show, which will form a stand-alone slot within her weekly Razmania programme that goes out on Sunday nights. Razan, who regularly graces the front covers of popular magazines in the region and launched her own perfume and cosmetics range, presents the programme from a specially branded Top of the Pops area of her studio in Beirut. In addition, she will make regular trips to the Top of the Pops studio at Television Centre in London to record links and interview features for the show.
In a second phase of the agreement, MBC has also signed a deal to produce its own fully-localised version of Top of the Pops, featuring Arab artists and a specially-established Arab pop chart, from November 2003. MBC will recreate a special Top of the Pops studio locally for the show that will fit in with the brand, whilst also reflecting the individual culture and character of the region.
An official release informs that MBC joins the rapidly growing number of international broadcasters who have their own localised version of Top of the Pops that is filmed in their own recreated studio. RTL in Germany, France 2 in France, BNN in Holland, Jim TV in Belgium and RAI2 in Italy all broadcast fully localised versions of Top of the Pops – beside the 112 countries where the UK version of the show is broadcast. In its 39-year history Top of the Pops has become one of the world’s largest music brands, with a fan base of millions across Africa, Australasia, Europe and the Americas.
39 years after Top Of The Pops first hit the screen in the UK it remains the No. 1 Music TV Show. Since the first broadcast in 1964 over 2000 shows have been produced featuring the world’s biggest music stars. Based on the Top 40 chart, the show presents a weekly snapshot of what is truly popular in music, always ending with the current number 1. Chris Cowey has produced the show since 1997 during which time his expertise and dedication have developed it into the most respected and quality music show in the UK – by its audience and by the bands that perform on the show.
2 is a brand new channel offering the latest and greatest English language TV and movie hits to the Arab world. Transmitted from Bahrain, it is available free-to-air right across the Middle East and North Africa on Arabsat 3A satellite service plus Bahrain terrestrial network and, as of the end of February, on E-Vision in Dubai. Nightly English language news bulletins are produced for 2 by MBC from their studios in Dubai Media City.
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.
