Cable TV
I&B ministry might be liberal on anti-smoking ban
NEW DELHI: Information and broadcasting ministry is now in two minds — to support fully or not — over a proposed ban from 2 October on depiction of smoking in cinema and on television as being pushed by the health ministry.
Information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy, while coming out in support of “creative freedom,” today hinted that the government is “not averse” to be more liberal when examining whether smoking scenes could be allowed in films and TV serials in future.
“Since after the ban, depiction of smoking on screen is to be judged on a case by case basis, the (I&B) ministry is not averse to extend the grounds on which such scenes could be incorporated,” the minister explained.
In a move, which has been widely criticized as infringement of freedom of (creative) expression, the health ministry has proposed that from October smoking cannot be depicted in any way in films and TV programmes.
In a bizarre move — that has been watered down since then — health ministry had also said during scenes showing people smoking in old films and TV serials, scrollers ought to be running at the bottom stating that `cigarette smoking is injurious to health.’
Reddy, however, had a difficult time in defending how such a ban could be extended to films not made in India, but exhibited widely in theatres here.
Cornered by journalists today on the issue, Reddy first gave a wishy-washy explanation before resuming his composure and saying that foreign films , having scenes of people smoking, would be subject to censorship when getting a Censor Board certificate for exhibition in India.
“We cannot tell them (foreign film-makers) not to have scenes of smoking in films. But, after all, such films would have to obtain certificates from the Censor Board here before getting clearance for exhibiting them in cinema halls,” the minister said when accused of not providing a level playing field to Indian cinema.
He also added that it would be the responsibility of Indian distributors of foreign films and exhibitors to ensure that messages relating to ill-effects of smoking are prominently displayed before and after any foreign film where smoking has been depicted.
However, the anti-smoking ban will not be extended to live events being aired on TV for technical reasons and on old classics and social documentaries being made in future.
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.
