Cable TV
CMS initiates census of C&S households; report expected in May
For the first time in the country a census of Cable TV Households is being conducted by the Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies (CMS). The first report of CMS C&S (cable & satellite) census is expected in the first week of May. This census establishes actual number of cable connections and actual availability of channels.
The census of Cable TV households will help streamline cable television operations in the country as an industry. The report acquires added relevance in the context of recent proliferation of pay channels, a CMS release says.
Even more, once the census report is available the present subscription rates, both at household and cable operator levels, are likely to be rationalised and fixed more transparently.
A presentation of the initial report of CMS census will be made mid-May 2002 to all stakeholders – operators, channels, advertisers and agencies and IRD manufacturers. This report could also be used to validate the figures on subscribing households.
This census will also help bring out more reliably the penetration of television channels among households and help reach the currently “unreached” households. The CMS census of C&S households will hopefully remove some of the friction between Cable TV operators and channels.
“Cable TV operators in India deserve all-out praise for their initiatives and enterpreneurship. In fact, without their adventurous role, India would not have been where it is today in terms of growth and spread of television,” said Naveen Surapaneni, project director of CMS Census operations, while announcing the census recently.
CMS is a pioneer in India in media research in the country including Cable TV. CMS researchers were involved in the early years in developing methodologies for NRS, TV Viewership ratings in India. CMS had earlier conducted studies on Cable TV operations as a part of it larger study on communication infrastructure in the country.
The CMS census of Cable TV households aims to serve the television industry in same way as the ABC report for the circulation of newspapers.
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.
