Cable TV
Arasu to introduce broadband service
MUMBAI: The state-run Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation has promised to offer broadband and other internet services. Making an announcement in the assembly under rule 110, Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa said that Arasu Cable was providing ‘high quality’ cable TV service to the people of the state, for Rs 70 per month.
“Through cable operators, it (Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable Corporation) will provide broadband service at low prices. This will be offered by joining hands with those who have broadband licences,” she said while also announcing a new building worth Rs 40 crore for Tami Nadu State Data Centre which will have a space of 5,000 square feet space.
A Near Line Disaster Recovery Centre will be established at a cost of Rs 5 crore to preserve and retrieve government data and an e-mail group will be created at a cost of Rs 1 crore for government officials to ensure safe and fast communication, said the chief minister.
Jayalalithaa also said that cloud services and web-hosting services will be provided to students and young entrepreneurs at a low cost and Rs 50 lakh will be earmarked for this and an internet-based encyclopedia of Tamil arts and culture.
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.
