Cable TV
Asian TV homes in the US increase by 3.2%: Nielsen
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MUMBAI: Nielsen Media Research’s new findings revealed that the number of ethnic television homes in the US has increased significantly since last year. Because of more people migrating to the South and Western regions of the US, Nielsen is reporting many shifts in its local market rankings. Among the ethnic population, the number of Asian television homes increased the most by 3.2 per cent to 4.22 million. Last year the number stood at 4.09 million. |
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On the other hand, the number of Hispanic television homes in the US increased by 2.9 per cent to 11.23 million (against last year’s 10.91 million) and African American television homes increased by 0.8 per cent to 13.28 million (against last year’s 13.17 million).  Nielsen has estimated the total number of television households within the US (including Alaska and Hawaii) as 110.2 million now, which was an increase of 1/2 per cent over last year. These estimates, which are projected to 1 January, 2006, will be used for the entire 2005-2006 television season. |
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Nielsen’s new national universe estimates also reflect the aging of the baby boom generation. The US Census Bureau defines the baby boomers as persons born in the post-World War II period from 1946 to 1964 when the US birth rates were at record high levels. In 2006, the oldest boomers will reach age 60, while the youngest will reach age 42. While the per cent of total persons in US TV Homes increased by approximately one per cent, there were larger per cent increases in the number of persons over age 55. Also, many of the local television markets increasing in Nielsen’s Designated Market Area (DMA) rank are in the southern and western regions of the United States. This movement is attributed to many people recently migrating south and west, and is consistent with the population growth estimates recently released by the US Census Bureau. According to the most recent US Census Bureau estimates, 60 of the 100 fastest growing counties were in the southern portion of the US and 23 were in the west. The following is a list of the more notable changes at the top of Nielsen’s DMA ranking:
Nielsen Media Research annually reports television household estimates each September based on information from a variety of sources, including Claritas, the United States Census Bureau, and Nielsen Media Research’s own television samples. |
MUMBAI: When margins wobble, liquidity talks and in Q3 FY25-26, cash did most of the talking. Den Networks Limited closed the December quarter with consolidated revenue of Rs.251 crore, marginally higher than the previous quarter but down 4 per cent year-on-year, even as profitability stayed resilient on the back of strong cash reserves and disciplined cost control.
Subscription income softened to Rs.98 crore, slipping 3 per cent sequentially and 14 per cent from last year, while placement and marketing income offered some cheer, rising 15 per cent quarter-on-quarter to Rs.148 crore. Total costs climbed faster than revenue, up 7 per cent QoQ to Rs.238 crore, driven largely by higher content costs and operating expenses. As a result, EBITDA dropped sharply to Rs.13 crore from Rs.19 crore in Q2 and Rs.28 crore a year ago, pulling margins down to 5 per cent.
Yet, the bottom line refused to blink. Profit after tax stood at Rs.40 crore, up 15 per cent sequentially and only marginally lower than last year’s Rs.42 crore. A healthy Rs.57 crore in other income helped cushion operating pressure, keeping profit before tax at Rs.48 crore, broadly stable quarter-on-quarter despite the tougher cost environment.
The real headline-grabber, however, sits on the balance sheet. The company remains debt-free, with cash and cash equivalents swelling to Rs.3,279 crore as of December 31, 2025. Net worth rose to Rs.3,748 crore, while online collections accounted for 97 per cent of total receipts, underscoring strong cash discipline across operations, including subsidiaries.
In short, while Q3 showed signs of operating strain, the financial backbone remains solid. With zero gross debt, steady profits and a formidable cash war chest, the company enters the next quarter with flexibility firmly on its side proving that in uncertain markets, balance sheet strength can be the best growth strategy.
