Cable TV
10th Cable TV India Show concludes; Cable community wary of cable tax
KANPUR: The forthcoming subscription hike and the cable tax were in focus in the recently concluded 10th Cable TV India Show here.
The annual event which took place between 16 December and 19 December saw a few government representatives attend the conference. Tax advisor to UP government Surendra Mohan shared government’s position on the Cable business with cable community. The conference was also addressed by UP home minister Prakash Jaiswal.
Cable Operators expressed their concerns about the tax-related issues they have been facing especially due to the lack of clarity. They wanted their tax to be levied in a even manner where even the viewers should know about the tax that the cable operators pay to the government.
“The government should take special efforts in terms of some campaign to create awareness about this issue, so that viewers will know why the price is high and we will not face consumer wrath”, one cable operator told indiantelevision.com.
The tax that is levied on cable operators should be compound tax rather than just one tax, opined cable operators. They also expressed their wish to be exempted from service tax. Operators were ready for paying additional tax “Provided government includes other parties like broadcasters and viewers are also involved in the process”.
While demanding ‘Industry’ status for cable Industry, cable operators also mentioned the need for a national body for cable industry similar to TRAI which will focus completely on the cable industry.
The three day event was organised by Dr. A.K. Rastogi of Aavishkar Business Network. The event was a combination of conference and exhibition and was attended by the cable operators & distributors from UP and the surrounding states.
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.
