Cable TV
CATV bill amendment likely to be introduced in Parliament tomorrow; circulation among members today
No, the amendment to the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 incorporating conditional access (CAS) is not being introduced in the Lok Sabha (Lower House) today as expected by many in the industry, the date has been set for tomorrow, according to sources.
The note is slated to be circulated among members of Lok Sabha to allow them to vote on it tomorrow, reveal sources. Meanwhile, a group of the cable TV trade was expected to meet up with information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj to give the cable TV industry viewpoint once again and clarify any doubts that may have arisen out of the protestations of some broadcasters.
Speaking at Panaji (Goa) yesterday to a leading business daily, Swaraj was quite clear that the government would not budge on CAS, and that she was convinced that it would be beneficial for all as it “would bring the much needed transparency in the system.”
She insisted that reports that boxes would cost Rs 7,000-8,000 were totally false and misleading, adding that the actual pricing woul be between Rs 1,500-2,500.
She was also highly critical of the group of broadcasters opposing CAS and asked the reporter from the daily: “Do they not want transparency in viewership?”
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.
