GECs
Casbaa Convention 2005 to discuss creativity in a digital world
MUMBAI: The essential links of the digital value chain – innovative technologies, creative content and novel business models – will be the highlights of this year’s Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa) Convention to be held from 25 October to 28 October.
“Only with creativity will digital industry players be able to tap into the enormous business opportunities. The CASBAA Convention is an ideal platform for delegates to understand the emerging technologies and market trends as well as building and cultivating peer networks,” said Casbaa chairman Casbaa Marcel Fenez.
Industry veterans, senior broadcast and studio executives, technology gurus and Asia-Pacific regulators will cast light on the digital revolution and address the hot issues within multiple market sectors and engine economies including China and India.
The first day of the Convention, 25 October Tuesday, focuses on Casbaa’s inaugural “Technology Showcase” with delegates offered a unique opportunity to experience at first-hand advanced technologies such as Digital Mobile TV, Wireless Video Network TV and PVR enabled IPTV, that provide first-mover advantage to participants in the fast-paced Asia Pacific pay-TV marketplace, states an official release.
The following day, 26 October, Casbaa will unveil an industry-first study that measures the relationship between investment in pay-TV services and regulatory performance in Asia Pacific.
Pay-TV piracy remains a lingering issue among industry players, and a mid-day session on 27 October will be devoted to a discussion of the findings from the Casbaa CLSA Piracy Report 2005, the third annual study about Asia Pacific pay-TV piracy with estimates for 2005-2006, conducted by CLSA in collaboration with Casbaa and its member organisations.
On the final day of the Convention, 28 October, the Casbaa Pay-TV Advertising Forum will provide new insights into client expectations and strategies that will help pay-TV operators deliver what clients require, the release adds.
“Both industry veterans and fledgling operators will benefit from the findings and technology trends in order to capitalise on new developments in the market. The programme for the Casbaa Convention 2005 presents a sharp focus on how pay-TV operators and content owners can turn such findings and innovations into new revenue streams,” said Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston Davies.
The Casbaa Convention 2005 will be held at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Four Seasons Hotel and the Grand Hyatt Hotel from 25-28 October, presented by InvestHK, with NOW Broadband TV as official partner and PCCW as official networking partner.
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.
