Cable TV
Arasu should be given DAS licence, Jayalalithaa tells Modi
NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has once again raised the issue of granting a digital addressable system licence to Arasu Cable TV Corporation, which is owned by the state government.
While the demand was raised before Prime Minister Narendra Modi when she called on him yesterday, it is expected that this matter would be referred to Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar for consideration.
However, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has in two different consultation papers in 2008 and December 2012 given its opinion against state-owned multi-system operators or broadcasters getting licences.
Ministry sources told indiantelevision.com that licences have not been issued to any state-owned organisation for running cable TV networks as TRAI had recommended that neither state-owned, local bodies nor religious organisations should be permitted to own TV channels.
Earlier this year, then I&B Minister Manish Tewari had told Parliament that Arasu Cable TV Corporation had applied on 26 November 2007 for grant of MSO registration in CAS notified area of Chennai and had been granted provisional permission on 2 April 2008, subject to the report of TRAI on the issue of whether to allow state governments/PSUs and other entities to enter into broadcasting activities.
Thus, Arasu had been given permission on the ground that it would automatically lapse if the Ministry decides against allowing state governments/PSUs and other entities into broadcasting activities, including MSO/Cable operations.
In April last year, the Madras High Court had been informed by TRAI that Central and State government ministries, departments, companies and undertakings should not be allowed to enter into the business of broadcasting or distribution of television channels.
Justice S. Rajeswaran was hearing writ petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation seeking Digital Addressable System (DAS) licence to it for Chennai Metro and for the other parts of the State.
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.
