GECs
Cable TV Show, Kolkata stresses on services, CRM
KOLKATA: Over 6500 cable operators from places like Meghalaya, Assam, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Orrisa, Madhya Pradesh and even neighbouring Bangladesh converged at the recently concluded Cable TV Show Kolkata.
Choc a bloc with cable operators and related industry professionals, the ninth Cable TV Show, was marked by well attended seminars and good participation as well as healthy business activitiy by exhibitors who attended the show.
The organising body, the CTMA (Cable TV Equipment Traders & Manufacturers Association) which boasts prominent members like Kamal Gandhi (Chief Patron),Pawan Jajodia (Chariman -Exhibtion commitee), K K Binani (Chairman – Seminar Committee), Sanjay Mansukhani (secretary -CTMA)Binod Sancheti (President -CTMA) has a strong influence amongst the cable trade in the region.
The host state, West Bengal, had cable operators coming in from most of its districts, while a delegation from the PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) which had confirmed its participation, could not make it due to some last minute problems.
Among the 83 stalls wasa a surprise exhibitor – health channel Care TV, which does not have a regional channel in eastern India, but claimed to have got a warm response from cable ops who attended the show. While the likes of Scientific Atlanta also did good business, one entity conspicious by its absence was RPGNet, the strongest player in the cable market in West Bengal.
Among the seminars at the show was one where Indiantelevision.com CEO Anil Wanvari enthused the cable community to innovate and be resourceful. Quoting figures and instances from developed markets like the US, he asked them to create local programming out of school and college events, and exhorted the cable community here to create programming and become self reliant to a certain extent.
A prominent chartered accountant M Mishra, then enlightened the audience on how CRM (Customer Relationship Management) can take the cable trade to the next level. He emphasized that getting 100 odd channels, and a clear picture quality were now services expected from a cable operator, which the consumer takes for granted. The operator has to then add more value to the services, and be more efficient in handling complaints. Also of note was a talk by prominent cable operator from Delhi, Roop Sharma, where she asked the cable operators to strive for an united front. Sudeep malhotra of Sattelite and Cable Trade spoke on the impact of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s policies on cable operators.
The CTMA also held a cocktails cum dinner party where it regaled the cable operators with a fashion show by designer Naaz.
All in all, the show had a positive feel around it and proved itself well worth participating in.
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.
