GECs
AXN TV expands presence in Europe
LONDON: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has announced the continued expansion of its global cable and satellite networks portfolio.
Next month, the action-oriented AXN TV will launch in six European countries — Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria.
Tom Davidson
SPE executive Tom Davidson is the new network’s general manager. He will be based in Budapest.
An official release informs that AXN now reaches over 86 million households in over 40 countries throughout Asia, Europe and Latin America. In Europe, AXN is currently available in Spain and Portugal.
AXN’s programme offering includes a wide selection of hit European and US series, blockbuster feature films and exclusive franchise properties. In India the channel is trying to connect with viewers through localised ground initiatives. The latest one Extreme Dhamaka will kick off shortly.
Launched as a customised subscriber and ad-supported basic channel, AXN will deliver localised content to the Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian and Bulgarian markets. With each country to eventually join the expanded European Union, AXN is well-positioned for rapid growth in the region, the release informs.
In Portugal, a recent Cabovis?o subscriber survey confirmed that AXN was the most-watched general entertainment channel on the platform and ranks in the top five most popular channels available. It was surpassed only by free-to-air terrestrial Portuguese channels.
In Spain, a recent audience report issued by Sofres ranks AXN as number one in prime time among cable and satellite subscribers.
SPE’s senior vice president international networks Darren Childs says, “AXN consistently delivers the demographic that MSOs need to drive their distribution, and that advertisers covet. Establishing channels in these six new territories is a key part of our strategy to extend the reach of AXN throughout Europe.”
Childs says, Davidson is a very talented media executive who brings proven channel management experience together with exceptional industry knowledge of these countries.
Davidson will oversee the channel’s overall business operations in the above mentioned European regions, including day-to-day management of programming, acquisitions, sales, marketing, promotion, branding and technical operations.
Davidson joined SPE in 2000 and more recently served as executive director of finance. Prior to joining SPE, Davidson played an integral role in the launch of HBO Romania, the country’s first premium TV channel, where he served as chief financial officer adds the release.
GECs
Sahara One reports financial results, notes director exit and business realignment
Muted revenues, steady expenses and strategic adjustments shape company’s current phase
MUMBAI: In a tale where the sands seem to be slipping faster than they can be gathered, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited has reported another quarter of wafer-thin income and widening losses, even as a boardroom exit adds to the unease.
The company informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that its board, in a meeting held on April 4, approved its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended September 30, 2025. The numbers paint a stark picture. Total income for the quarter stood at just Rs 0.13 lakh, unchanged sequentially and sharply down from Rs 0.26 lakh a year earlier.
Losses, meanwhile, deepened. The company posted a net loss of Rs 24.16 lakh for the quarter, compared to Rs 18.81 lakh in the June quarter and Rs 39.69 lakh in the same period last year. For the six months ended September 2025, the cumulative loss stood at Rs 39.69 lakh, while the full-year loss for FY25 was reported at Rs 60.72 lakh.
Expenses continued to outweigh income by a wide margin. Total expenses for the quarter came in at Rs 24.30 lakh, led by employee benefit costs of Rs 6.51 lakh and other expenses of Rs 17.78 lakh. Earnings per share remained in the red at Rs (0.11) for the quarter.
The balance sheet reflects a company with significant assets on paper but limited operational momentum. Total assets stood at Rs 23,065.57 lakh as of September 30, 2025, broadly unchanged from March 2025. Equity share capital remained steady at Rs 2,152.50 lakh, while total equity was reported at Rs 18,004.85 lakh.
Cash and cash equivalents saw a modest uptick to Rs 6.75 lakh from Rs 4.68 lakh earlier, supported by a positive operating cash flow of Rs 180.01 lakh for the period.
Yet, beneath these numbers lies a more complex narrative. The company’s auditors flagged their inability to obtain sufficient evidence to form a conclusion on the financial statements, citing lack of access to records. They also raised concerns over the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, pointing to insufficient funds, delayed recoveries, and stalled content investments.
Adding to the governance overhang, the company disclosed that Rana Zia has resigned as whole-time director, effective October 16, 2025, citing other professional commitments. The resignation, noted and accepted by the board, also brings an end to her role across company committees.
Regulatory pressures continue to loom large. The Securities and Exchange Board of India has already initiated penal actions for non-compliance with listing norms, with trading in the company’s shares remaining suspended. There is also a risk of promoter demat accounts being frozen.
Legacy legal issues remain unresolved. A substantial deposit of Rs 694,027.88 thousand linked to the long-running OFCD dispute involving Sahara group entities is still under the purview of the Supreme Court of India. Restrictions on asset disposal continue to weigh on the company’s financial flexibility.
Operationally, challenges persist across multiple fronts. Advances worth Rs 1,92,916 thousand given for film content remain stuck, with delays in project completion and uncertain recoverability. The company’s YouTube channel, despite being operational, has generated no revenue for over three years due to compliance lapses. In a further twist, management has indicated that revenues may have been fraudulently diverted through unauthorised changes to its AdSense account, with a police complaint in the works.
There are also missed revenue opportunities. Television content rights continue to be used by a related party despite the expiry of the licence agreement, with fresh negotiations still underway.
For now, Sahara One Media and Entertainment Limited appears caught between legacy disputes and present-day operational hurdles. As losses linger and governance questions mount, the road to recovery looks less like a sprint and more like a slow trudge through shifting sands.
