Cable TV
Analogue signals: MIB to take action against defaulters
NEW DELHI: Reiterating the switch-off of analogue signals of cable television from 1 April 2017, all broadcasters, MSOs and local cable operators were today warned by the Indian government that action would be taken against defaulters.
Issuing a notice, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) instructed all stakeholders to ensure that no analogue signals are transmitted over the cable networks in phase IV areas after 31 March 2017.
The notice said the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Act 2011 had made it mandatory for switch-over of the existing analogue Cable TV networks to Digital Addressable System (DAS) in four phases. Digital switch-over has already taken place in phases I, II and III.
The Ministry by notification of 23 December 2016 last had extended the cut-off date for phase IV of cable TV digitisation to 31 March 2017.
Also Read:
Final phase STB seeding is 35% even as deadline nears
DAS deadline extension ruled out, govt claims 66% seeding done
TV industry gives mixed reaction to MIB’s DAS III & IV extension
DAS 4 deadline extended to 31 Mar
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.
