Cable TV
Arasu seeks more time to go digital as it waits for STBs
NEW DELHI: Even as the deadline for it to go digital concludes tomorrow, the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation has sought more time from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
The Ministry had given the state-owned multi-system operator three months to switch off analogue and later extended this till 17 August 2017.
TACTV sources told indiantelevision.com that orders had been placed for an adequate number of digital set top boxes but these had still not been received.
Simultaneously, the sources said they had sought time from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for launch of digital signals.
The Principal Secretary to the state Government had sought thee months extension from 17 July but the centre agreed to give only one more month in a letter sent to TACTV dated 21 June 2017.
Consequently, TACTV had been asked to complete the digitization process by 17 August 2017 failing which the provisional ‘registration may be suspended/revoked.’
Copies of the letter were sent to the Principal Secretary of the Tamil Nadu IT Department, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, and the Commissioner/Superintendent of Police in Chennai.
Meanwhile, TRAI Chairman R S Sharma had said that as the Authority’s recommendations for not permitting state governments, political parties or religious groups into broadcasting or its distribution was still ‘under consideration’, it could only wait and watch.
Meanwhile while the Punjab government has also expressed a desire to enter distribution, the Telengana government wants satellite transpoders for TV channels it wants to launch.
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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.
