News Broadcasting
UK’s Ofcom OKs sponsorship of TV, radio channels
MUMBAI: UK regulator Ofcom is amending its Broadcasting Code to allow the sponsorship of commercial television channels and radio stations, subject to specific safeguards intended to preserve editorial independence, protect the under 18s and ensure audiences are made fully aware of the sponsorship relationship.
Modifying a regulation in place for over 50 years, Ofcom announced yesterday that sponsorship of commercial television and radio programmes has been permitted for 15 years.
Restrictions on certain programmes and channels
The Ofcom Broadcasting Code prohibits the sponsorship of news and, for television, current affairs programmes. It also prohibits specific product categories from sponsoring certain kinds of programmes. For example, alcohol brands are not allowed to sponsor children’s programmes and gambling companies may not sponsor programmes aimed at under 18s.
Ofcom intends to allow the sponsorship of any channel, so long as the amount of programming that cannot be sponsored is limited.
For example, channels and stations that broadcast short hourly news bulletins will be allowed to be sponsored. However, an alcohol brand would not be allowed to sponsor a children’s television channel.
General restrictions:
Specific safeguards will be put in place to preserve editorial integrity and protect children.
These include:
* Viewers must be made aware of the sponsorship arrangement and the sponsor’s credits must be separated from all other editorial and advertising content on the channel; credits for the channel sponsor must not appear in or around programmes that cannot be sponsored and credits should not suggest that these programmes are included in the sponsorship arrangement;
* The sponsor’s presence on the channel should not be unduly prominent;
* Broadcasters will be unable to name channels after the sponsor. However, as at present, a company with a brand known in another field – for example, Hallmark or Saga – may be granted a Broadcasting Act licence in its own right, with editorial responsibility for all programme output.
Next steps
Channel sponsorship represents a new opportunity for broadcasters; however it is important that transparency, editorial independence and appropriate protection for the audience are maintained. Ofcom will therefore publish guidance for broadcasters to go alongside the new Code rules, to ensure full compliance.
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.
