Cable TV
CODA urges government to fix cable TV rate
MUMBAI: Cable operators today urged the Maharashtra government to fix cable subscription rates in the state. They also asked for a rollback of 50 per cent hike on entertainment tax.Addressing the press in Mumbai, the representatives of Cable Operators’ Distributors Association (Coda) said they had written to the state revenue minister Narayan Rane, requesting to re-consider its decision on the hike.
The state finance minister Jayant Patil had proposed a hike in taxes which included a 50 per cent increase in entertainment duty levied on cable operators, while presenting a surplus budget of Rs 3.06 billion for 2006-2007 in the Assembly.”We have asked the state government to fix a uniform cable TV rate. We have also asked the government to revise its decision on the entertainment tax hike. We hope to meet the minister on this next week,” said Coda vice president Ravi Singh.
Entertainment tax in those areas under municipal corporations, such as Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Nagpur, will go up from Rs 30 to Rs 45. Also, Grade-A municipal council areas would now pay Rs 30 instead of Rs 20, while Grade-B & C municipal council zones would pay Rs15 instead of Rs10.
Coda also suggested for a three-tier entertainment tax system. “The government could consider a different entertainment tax rate structure for the upper, middle and lower classes. If the government goes ahead with the 50 per cent hike in entertainment tax, we may go on strike. Why should we be responsible for collecting entertainment tax? We are, after all, service providers,” said Singh.
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.
