News Broadcasting
Laureus ambassador Nico Rosberg swaps his Formula One
MUMBAI: Young people from the Laureus-supported Magic Bus project in India have enjoyed a day they will never forget with Formula One star Nico Rosberg at the Indian Grand Prix.
The highlight of the visit came when Laureus Ambassador Rosberg, who drives for the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One™ team and won the Monaco and British Grands Prix this year, personally welcomed the 20 youngsters in their bus as they headed for the Buddh International Circuit.
Nico, who has won three Grands Prix since he joined Formula One in 2006, said: “Sport is so effective in inspiring young people and giving them hope for the future. Nowhere is this more true than in India where so many children have to struggle from the day they are born.
“The work Laureus does around the world to support projects like Magic Bus is wonderful and I was pleased I was able to meet the guys and talk to them. I took the chance to show them around on my working desk in the team’s garage. I think they were amazed by the whole day and I hope they will be inspired by the visit and become role models for the other young people at Magic Bus. I certainly found it moving listening to some of their stories about what life has been like for them and how they have been given support and direction by the project and now have much more hope for their future.”
Nico led a question and answer session with the young people, and also donated footballs which were loaded into the bus for the youngsters to take back to the project.
Since its inception Magic Bus, which originated in Mumbai, has reached out to 250,000 children. Through activity-based learning issues such as gender equality, health and hygiene, the programme aims to build a poverty-free future for children. The project works with children and their communities for up to ten years on a journey from childhood to livelihood. Their work helps to ensure that they create a new generation of economically independent citizens who are fully equipped to participate in, contribute to and, even, shape tomorrow’s India.
Nico Rosberg is a Laureus Ambassador, a select group of current and retired sportsmen and sportswomen, who, along with the members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, support the work of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen are Global Partners of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. IWC Schaffhausen is the Official Engineering Partner to MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS.
Since its inception the Foundation has raised more than €60 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of over one-and-a-half million young people. Laureus currently supports more than 140 projects in 34 countries.
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.
