Cable TV
CASBAA elects new board directors
MUMBAI: The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) has announced the election of several new directors to its board, and the return of a number of long-serving directors.
Following its AGM on 8 November, first-time directors elected were James Ross (Lightning International), Belinda Lui (Time Warner), and Desmond Chan (TVB). Also re-elected to the board were previous directors Joe Welch (21st Century Fox), Andrew Jordan (AsiaSat), Ricky Ow (Turner Asia Pacific), and Amit Malhotra (The Walt Disney Company).
They join existing Directors Todd Miller (Celestial Tiger Entertainment), Andrew Stott (CMS Asia), Marcel Fenez (Fenez Media), Rohit D’Silva (FOX Networks Group Asia), and Alexandre Muller (TV5MONDE) to form the 2017-18 CASBAA board of directors.
“CASBAA is fortunate to have such an excellent group of subscription TV industry executives willing to serve on the association’s board,” said chairman Joe Welch. “We are deeply appreciative of the long and committed service of our out-going directors, and thank them tremendously. At the same time, we offer a heartfelt welcome to our new directors, and look forward to working together with them to lead the association for the benefit of CASBAA’s members and the industry as a whole”.
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.
