Cable TV
MSOs resume service of Sun Network channels
MUMBAI: Multi system operators (MSOs) have resumed the service of Sun Network channels Teja News and Aditya on their cable networks after being assured by the Group that there was no intention of acquiring 51 per cent stake in their companies.
Sun Network officials clarified to a group of MSOs at a meeting in Hyderabad on Thursday that “such rumours were being deliberately floated by vested interests to harm their relationship with operators on the ground.” The company had no design to acquire MSOs in the state and no threat calls were made to the operators. “Obviously, a broadcaster did not want our channels to be carried by the cable operators. The MSOs were wrongly guided,” a Sun official told Indiantelevision.com.
A group of MSOs had switched off Teja News and Aditya (a music channel) on 25 May, accusing some Sun officials of making threatening calls in an effort to take 51 per cent share without making any payments. The MSOs, who formed an association on 18 May at Hyderabad, also protested against Sun’s demand to increase connectivity for its pay channel Gemini.
“The issue has been resolved. Sun officials confirmed that they were not interested in acquiring 51 per cent stake in the MSOs,” said P Sai Babu, a convening committee member of the association. He also heads Siticable in Andhra Pradesh.
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.
