Cable TV
Al Jazeera to partner with Indian players for distribution
NEW DELHI: Al Jazeera, which is launching an English language international news channel around May this year, has earmarked India as an important market.
According to Al Jazeera Internationals commercial director Lindsey Oliver, the channel plans to partner with some local companies for distribution purpose.
India is an incredibly important market for us, but first we are looking at being present on all important carriers (cable networks) to create an awareness, Oliver, who was recently in Delhi, told Indiantelevision.com in an exclusive chat.
And, it was evident from the hectic meetings that the channels senior executives from headquarters Doha and local ones had with a cross section of the broadcast and cable industry.
However, she added that Al Jazeera International is not focusing on any one particular market or few geographical areas. Instead, its looking at a wider global canvas.
We are looking at building awareness and distribution all across the globe instead of getting big market share in certain markets, Oliver explained.
To be beamed off Pas10, Al Jazeera International has already set up shop in India with a bureau headed by Anmol Saxena, who has been in the business of television for some years now.
Saxenas company has arranged for pubcaster Doordarshan coverage of the Iraq invasion by the US and produced documentaries like one Mohd Ali Jinnah for Zee News, amongst other works done for various networks.
Oliver feels that after six months of launch, Al Jazeera International would look at expanding its activities in India by possibly going in for local distribution tie-ups.
Though Al Jazeera shot into fame via its Arabic channel during the Iraq invasion by the US that reveled in giving a platform to terrorist outfit Al Qaida, Oliver feels that the international English channel would not go out of its way to court controversy.
Like any other international news channel, ours also would have news from all round the globe. But just as CNN is an international channel with an American perspective and BBC is one with a British outlook, well be a global news channel with a Middle Eastern perspective, Oliver spelt out the channels positioning.
Interestingly, Al Jazeeras Arabic feed telecasts exclusively on certain time bands on the Rajat Sharma-controlled India TV news channel.
Al Jazeera International would be the worlds first English language news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East and the channels broadcasting centres will be located in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC.
An InterBrands 2004 global survey ranked Al Jazeera as the worlds most influential brand among all media networks and as the worlds fifth most influential brand behind Apple, Google, IKEA and Starbucks.
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.
