News Broadcasting

BBC Worldwide’s profits rise 62 per cent

Published

20 years ago

June 28, 2006

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide, UK pubcaster BBC’s commercial arm, has published its annual review for 2005/2006 and announced record profits of £89.4 million for 2005/2006, a year on year increase of 62 per cent, with sales up by 11 per cent to £784.4 million.

The increase in overall profits was achieved by a combination of trading and efficiency improvements across the business and by selling, closing or turning around loss-making operations.

In 2003/2004, the company produced a profit of £37 million. In 2004/2005, this rose 50 per cent to £55 million. This year, it exceeds £89 million – a 144 per cent increase from two years ago and 62 per cent up on last year. Across the business, the return on sales was 10 per cent in the year and the EBITDA margin was 22 per cent. For the first time, over 50 per cent of revenue came from overseas sales.

The underlying profit, excluding one-offs, disposals, restructuring and legal costs, is £92.1 milion, up from £53.3 million in 2004/05, and an increase of 73 per cent in the year. This figure has also doubled over two years.

Following a strategic review and reorganisation, the company is now focused on profit and growth. It operates seven businesses: global channels, global TV sales, magazines, home entertainment, children’s and digital media, plus the recently created content and production business.

Both through its own operations and via partnerships and joint ventures, BBC Worldwide seeks to drive commercial benefit from rights and content on behalf of the BBC and other UK rights holders. In the UK, its products and services help to extend audiences’ appreciation of BBC programmes. Internationally the company promotes the best of British talent and culture across a range of media.

BBC Worldwide CEO John Smith said, “It has been an outstanding year. Our turnaround and repositioning strategy has enabled us to exceed our targets, streamline the business and prepare for significant growth both in the UK and abroad. 2006/2007 will see us deepen our commitment to digital media with the proposed development of the commercial iPlayer and bbc.com, the digitising of the archive and more VoD deals. We will continue to invest in acquiring rights and maximising returns across all media. We will also be rolling out new channels and content and production strategies later this year.”

BBC DG Mark Thompson says, “We set BBC Worldwide an ambitious target to double profits over two years, and I’m delighted they’ve managed to exceed it. The ongoing work in focussing the business and increasing efficiency is drawing direct investment back into programmes and services for UK licence payers.”

Highlights of the year include:

Global Channels
Sales £165.4m – up 18% from £140.6m.
Profit £6.9m – up 73% from £4.0m.

UK’s No 1 TV Channel operator with 18 channels including ten in the UK held in joint venture with Flextech (UKTV) Channels will be an important growth area in the future.

Channels reach 288 million homes globally – up from 245 million last year; BBC America reached target of 45 million US homes and is now in half cable homes in USA. Ratings rising 20 per cent in primetime
UKTV delivered £4 million dividend to BBC Worldwide, over 90% up on 2004/2005.

Darren Childs who was earlier previously Sony Pictures Television International MD was recruited to head up business.

BBC Japan ceased broadcasting, but BBC Prime launched in South Korea.
2005/2006 was an intense period of assessment and review.

Global TV Sales

Sales £173.1m – up 9% from £158.8m.

Profit £31.7m – up 3% from £30.9m.

No 1 Exporter of television programmes.

30th Year of BBC Showcase where 500 broadcast buyers attend to browse and buy from a catalogue of some 40,000 TV hours. Second year of BBC Showcase in Latin America.

It re-focussed strategy into ’emerging’ and ‘developed’ markets. Growth expected in certain territories – India, China, Latin America, Russia and Poland.

New contemporary drama re-ignites market for British shows.

Seven pitches for Indian FM radio licences were won with partner Mid Day Multimedia.

It also distributes Indie-produced programmes commissioned by ITV, C4 and Five.

Content and Production

Sales £36.1m – up 173% from £13.2m.

Profit £3.2m – up 220% from £1.0m.

New division, headed up by director Wayne Garvie (joined from BBC Entertainment), comprising the Independent Unit, Investment Unit, format sales and local production.

Voted No 1 Distributor of Choice by UK Independent Producers (Broadcast, Sept 2005).

Production office opened in Los Angeles in 2005.

Dancing with the Stars – the international format for Strictly Come Dancing – has now been sold in 27 countries and won several awards including the Broadcast award for Best International Programme Sales. It is ABC’s top rating entertainment show (US) and on Series 5 in Australia. Following success of Deep Blue, the film Earth is now in development with BBC Production.

Magazines

Sales £163.7m – down 3% from £169.4m.

Profit £19.3m – down 12% from £22.0m.

UK’s third largest consumer magazine publisher, sold over 90 million magazines in 2005/06 UK’s third largest consumer magazine publisher, selling over 90m magazines in 2005/06 – ie- 170 every minute.

One in four adults reads a BBC title every month.

Profit shows an apparent reduction on 2004/05, but that year included a number of one-off items such as the sale of Eve magazine, which if excluded, leaves a year-on-year improvement of 2.5%.

Post year-end, 61% of specialist publishing company Origin (and the non-BBC titles it publishes) was sold to a management buy-out team. BBC Worldwide will retain a minority stake for a period of time as part of a staged exit.

CBeebies Weekly and BBC Sky at Night launched (and Doctor Who Adventures and Amy just after year end).

Radio Times is the UK’s biggest-selling premium-priced listings magazine and No 1 magazine brand.

Subscriptions are approaching 600,000 and a key area of growth. Dovetail joint venture formed to grow fulfilment business.

International activity grew: Top Gear now published in 30 countries and international licensing contracts increased to nearly 30.

Joint venture with The Times of India, Worldwide Media, now one of India’s largest magazine companies; Top Gear magazine launched there in 2005/2006.

Home Entertainment

Sales £175.3m – up 9% from £160.8m.

Profit £25.8m – up 197% from £8.7m.

First full trading year for 2 entertain – a joint venture with Woolworths plc. Sales of £115m delivering £25.8m profit, largely on DVD sales (also from music and film production). No 1 UK-owned DVD/Video distributor.

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News Broadcasting

Barc forensic audit in TRP row awaits as Twenty-Four probe gathers pace

Published

1 week ago

February 4, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

KERALA: A forensic audit commissioned by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India has emerged as the centrepiece of the government’s response to fresh allegations of television rating point manipulation involving a regional news channel in Kerala, with both the audit findings and a parallel police investigation still awaited.

Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L Murugan, said Barc had appointed an independent agency to conduct a forensic probe into the conduct of senior personnel allegedly linked to the case.

The move followed media reports claiming that a Barc employee had accepted bribes to manipulate viewership data in favour of a regional television news channel.

“The report from BARC is still awaited,” Murugan told Parliament, signalling that the forensic exercise remains ongoing.

Industry specialists say forensic audits are crucial in alleged TRP fraud cases, as they examine internal controls, data access trails, panel household integrity, staff communications and financial transactions. The outcome could determine whether the alleged manipulation was an isolated breach or a deeper systemic weakness in India’s television measurement framework.

Running alongside the audit, the Kerala Police has formed a special investigation team to probe the allegations. The ministry has sought a preliminary report from the state’s director general of police, including details of action taken on the first information report. That report, too, is yet to be submitted.

The episode has revived long-standing concerns over the vulnerability of India’s TRP system, particularly in regional news markets where competition for ratings is fierce and advertising revenues hinge on weekly viewership rankings.

India’s sole television audience measurement body Barc, has faced scrutiny before, most notably during the nationwide TRP controversy involving news channels in 2020. While tighter compliance norms were introduced in the aftermath, the latest allegations suggest enforcement challenges may persist.

On regulatory consequences, the government said any punitive action against television channels, including suspension or cancellation of uplinking and downlinking permissions, would be governed by the Policy Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels issued in November 2022, and would depend on investigation outcomes and due process.

The ministry also pointed to ongoing efforts to overhaul the ratings ecosystem. Television measurement continues to be regulated under the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies, 2014. Draft amendments were released for public consultation in July 2025, followed by a revised version in November 2025, aimed at tightening audit mechanisms and improving transparency and representativeness.

In November 2025, Barc said it had taken note of allegations aired by Malayalam news channel Twenty-Four, which linked an internal employee to irregularities in audience measurement. The council said it had engaged a “reputed independent agency” to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit, underscoring the seriousness of the claims.

The ratings system sits at the heart of India’s broadcast advertising economy, shaping billions of rupees in annual ad spends. With trust in audience data once again under strain, advertisers, broadcasters and regulators are closely watching the outcome of the investigations.

Barc has urged industry stakeholders and media organisations to exercise restraint while the probe is underway, calling for an end to “unverified or speculatory claims” and reiterating its commitment to integrity and accountability.

Until the forensic audit and police findings are submitted and reviewed, the government said it would refrain from drawing conclusions.

News Broadcasting

Rajat Sharma defamation row: Delhi court summons Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh

Published

1 week ago

February 4, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has ordered the summoning of senior Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh in a criminal case filed by veteran journalist Rajat Sharma, sharpening a legal battle over alleged defamation and doctored digital content.

The order was passed on Monday by Devanshi Janmeja, judicial magistrate first class at Saket Courts, after the court found prima facie grounds to proceed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including forgery, creation of false electronic records and defamation.

Sharma, chairman and editor-in-chief of India TV, had approached the court over allegations made in June 2024 that he had used derogatory language against Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak during a live television debate. He denied the charge, claiming it was fuelled by a manipulated video circulated online.

According to the complaint, a clipped version of the broadcast carrying superimposed captions, which were not part of the original programme, was first shared on social media platform X by Nayak and later amplified through retweets and public statements by Khera and Ramesh. Sharma said the viral spread caused serious reputational harm and personal distress.

The court took note of forensic science laboratory findings that pointed to visible post-production alterations in the video, including added titles and captions. It also cited witness testimonies from those present during the live broadcast, who stated that no abusive or objectionable language had been used.

In a related civil matter, the Delhi High Court had earlier observed a prima facie absence of abusive remarks and directed the removal of the disputed social media posts.

With criminal proceedings now set in motion, the case adds to mounting scrutiny around political messaging, digital manipulation and accountability on social media platforms.

News Broadcasting

Mukesh Ambani, Larry Fink come together for CNBC-TV18 exclusive

Reliance and BlackRock chiefs map the future of investing as global capital eyes India

Published

1 week ago

February 4, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: India’s capital story takes centre stage today as Mukesh Ambani and Larry Fink sit down for a rare joint television conversation, bringing together two of the most powerful voices in global business at a moment of economic churn and opportunity.

The Reliance Industries chief and the BlackRock boss will speak with Shereen Bhan, managing editor of CNBC-TV18, in an exclusive interaction airing from 3:00 pm on February 4. The timing is deliberate. Geopolitics are tense, technology is disruptive and capital is choosier. India, meanwhile, is pitching itself as a long-term bet.

The pairing is symbolic. Reliance straddles energy transition, digital infrastructure and consumer growth in the world’s fastest-expanding major economy. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, oversees more than $14 tn in assets and sits at the nerve centre of global capital flows. When the two talk, markets tend to listen.

Fink’s appearance marks his third India visit, a signal of the country’s rising strategic weight for the Wall Street-listed firm, which carries a market value above $177 bn. His earlier 2023 trips included an October stop in New Delhi, where he met both Ambani and Narendra Modi.

India is now central to BlackRock’s expansion plans, notably through its joint venture with Jio Financial Services. Announced in July 2023, the 50:50 venture, JioBlackRock, commits up to $150 mn each from the partners to build a digital-first asset-management platform aimed at India’s swelling investor class.

The backdrop is robust. BlackRock ended 2025 with record assets under management of $14.04 tn, helped by $698 bn in net inflows, including $342 bn in the fourth quarter alone. Scale gives Fink both heft and a long lens on where money is moving.

He has been openly bullish on India. At the Saudi-US Investment Summit in Riyadh last year, Fink argued that the “fog of global uncertainty is lifting”, with capital returning to dynamic markets such as India, drawn by reforms, demographics and durable return potential.

Expect the conversation to range beyond balance sheets, into technology’s role in finance, access to capital and the mechanics of sustainable growth in a fracturing world order. For investors and policymakers alike, it is a snapshot of how big money is thinking about India.

At a time when capital is cautious and growth is contested, India wants to be the exception. When Ambani and Fink share a stage, it is less a chat and more a signal. The world’s money is still looking for its next big story, and India intends to be it.