DTH
Askew gung-ho on fast take-off once Tata-Star DTH file cleared
HONG KONG: Waiting to exhale. That could well describe the story for the Star Group’s having to exercise Buddha-like patience over the Indian government’s lack of urgency (an understatement if ever there was one) in clearing the long pending Tata-Star DTH file.
Quizzed by indiantelevision.com over whether the long wait would ultimately prove worth Star’s while considering the relatively slow uptake that rival Zee’s DTH venture Dish TV had despite a nearly one and a half year head start, Star Group COO Steve Askew would not be drawn into comparisons.
Askew, however expressed confidence that the product offering that Star has in the pipeline had three key ingredients that would make for a sure shot win-win for both Star and the consumer – competitive pricing, wide choice and quality of both content and service.
The Star group COO, who was speaking on the sidelines of a joint announcement with John Lau’s Focus Films Ltd for the production of Chinese-language feature films in high definition (HD) technology, used the film analogy to drive home his point. What Space TV would be offering was akin to the multiplex experience “direct-to-home”, he averred.
Askew promised 200-plus channels would be available on the DTH offering from Day 1 of launch and that the subsequent channel ramp-up would be at a fast clip.
Asked to comment on the imminent arrival of the Amitabh Bachchan-hosted game show Kaun Banega Crorepati II, Askew, who had to rush off citing a packed schedule, said Star had high expectations for the show.
DTH
GTPL Hathway posts FY26 revenue growth, Q4 slips into loss
Annual profit at Rs 5.88 crore; Q4 loss at Rs 5.90 crore
MUMBAI: A strong year met a shaky finish as GTPL Hathway closed FY26 on a high note only to stumble at the final hurdle. The company’s latest financials reveal a tale of two timelines: steady annual growth alongside a fourth-quarter dip that nudged it into the red. GTPL Hathway Limited reported total income of Rs 2,472.46 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, marking a clear rise from Rs 2,223.00 crore in FY25. Revenue from operations stood at Rs 2,450.78 crore, up from Rs 2,193.38 crore a year ago, signalling consistent traction in its core cable TV and broadband business.
Yet, beneath the annual growth narrative, the March quarter told a different story. The company posted a net loss of Rs 5.90 crore in Q4 FY26, a sharp reversal from a profit of Rs 0.91 crore in the preceding quarter and Rs 8.15 crore in the same period last year. Total income for the quarter came in at Rs 618.46 crore, largely flat sequentially but higher than Rs 569.33 crore reported a year earlier.
The pressure was visible across the cost structure. Total expenses for the quarter rose to Rs 620.64 crore, marginally exceeding income and tipping the company into a loss before tax of Rs 7.87 crore. This compares with a profit before tax of Rs 1.22 crore in the December quarter and Rs 11.32 crore in Q4 FY25.
For the full year, however, profitability held firm. GTPL reported a net profit of Rs 5.88 crore in FY26, significantly lower than Rs 47.80 crore in FY25, but still in positive territory despite higher finance costs and operating expenses. Operating expenses alone climbed to Rs 1,884.53 crore for the year, up from Rs 1,603.53 crore, reflecting the increasing cost of running and scaling network infrastructure.
Finance costs also rose notably to Rs 33.57 crore in FY26 from Rs 22.19 crore in FY25, while depreciation and amortisation expenses stood at Rs 189.19 crore, underlining continued investments in assets and technology. Employee benefit expenses, however, declined to Rs 63.42 crore from Rs 77.08 crore, offering some relief on the cost front.
An exceptional item of Rs 5.69 crore during the year also weighed on profitability, compared with Rs 3.79 crore in the previous year. Meanwhile, tax adjustments, including deferred tax movements and prior-year adjustments, played a role in shaping the final earnings outcome.
Despite the quarterly wobble, the broader picture suggests a company still expanding its top line while grappling with margin pressures. With paid-up equity share capital unchanged at Rs 112.46 crore, the focus now shifts to whether GTPL can convert its revenue momentum into more stable, sustainable profitability in the coming quarters.
In short, FY26 may have delivered growth on paper but the closing chapter serves as a reminder that in business, as in broadband, consistency is everything.
