Cable TV
DAS IV deadline sacrosanct; MIB holds digitization workshop in Manipur
MUMBAI: Many in the cable TV industry have been complaining that the Narendra Modi-led government has the put cable TV digitization agenda on the backburner. That no one seems to be taking the DAS phase IV digitsation deadline of 31 December 2016 seriously.
But the facts seem to be otherwise. The ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) is definitely sticking to that deadline. It has been holding workshops to facilitate the understanding of nodal officers of different states about cable TV digitization.
One such workshop was held on 20 July in Hotel Classic Grande Chingmeirong Imphal, Manipur Manipur is part of the states listed under Phase IV of the phased digitization rollout plan announced by the government. The dateline for Phase I was 31 October 2012, phase II was 31 March 2013, and phase III was 31 December 2015.
Hosted by MIB advisor Yogendra Pal, it helped the attendees from Manipur and Nagaland understand the various provisions of the Cable Television Networks Regulations Act, the government mandate on digitization of the various phases. And finally its benefits.
The MIB has also told its nodal officers in the north eastern states to act against unauthorized and illegal cable TV operators in the region and issue penalties on them if they continue their operations without getting their operations legalized.
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.
