News Broadcasting
US broadcaster ABC strictly dances to BBC’s tune
MUMBAI: BBC’s smash hit Strictly Come Dancing will debut in the US following a new production agreement between BBC Worldwide and ABC. The US version of the show will feature a new title, a new celebrity line-up, a new host and new judges.
In the first deal of its kind for BBC Worldwide, the variety show will be produced in America for ABC, by the in-house BBC Entertainment production team responsible for the hit UK version.
The as yet unnamed six-part, prime time series will feature eight celebrities paired with leading professional dancers to train and then compete in a live television knockout ballroom dancing competition. Casting is currently underway, with talent likely to be confirmed in the next few weeks. The line-up is set to include TV and movie stars, alongside other American celebrities.
BBC Worldwide’s director of format licensing Colin Jarvis said, “Working with ABC in this unique way, gives us a new opportunity to develop a hit BBC property in this extremely important market. The reaction to the show around the world has been phenomenal and proves yet again the strength of the in-house format development team within BBC Entertainment. With this pedigree, the show has all the hallmarks of a huge US hit.”
ABC executive VP alternative programming, specials and late night Andrea Wong said, “I am fully aware that this may sound like the craziest show anyone in the US has every heard of. But in a world where its easier for reality series to imitate than innovate, I just love how fresh this format is. And the show’s global success demonstrates how audiences around the world find it surprising and, undeniably, fun.”
Strictly Come Dancing is proving a success around the globe for BBC Worldwide, with deals for local versions with TV2 in Denmark, TVN in Poland, VTM in Belgium and TVNZ in New Zealand recently confirmed.
These new deals follow versions in Australia and Italy where the format was a knockout, raking in huge audiences. In Australia, Channel 7 attracted 2.1 million viewers, with the second series of Dancing with the Stars premiering to a record-breaking the 37 per cent audience share.
In Italy Ballando con le Stelle (Dancing With the Stars) was such a success, with an audience shares of over 30 per cent. The broadcaster RAI UNO commissioned extra episodes. The Strictly Come Dancing format is expected to generate income of ?20m over five years.
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.
