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Destiny’s Child, Korn triumph at MTV Asia Awards
MUMBAI: The Siam Paragon venue in Bangkok was illuminated with international and Asian stars celebrating the fifth spectacular MTV Asia Awards 2006 on 6 May.
Destiny’s Child got the Special Achievement in Music Award. In a special presentation during the show, MTV Asia Awards host Kelly Rowland accepted the Award on behalf of Destiny’s Child. The award winners included Korn’s Twisted Transistor which won for Favourite Video.
The multi-platinum trio consisting of Rowland, Beyonce Knowles and Michelle Williams, Destiny’s Child were honoured for their contribution to the music world and their immeasurable impact on pop culture.
While Latin heart throb Ricky Martin was the viewers choice for Best Male Singer, the winner of the first edition of American Idol Kelly Clarkson was their choice for Favourite Female. The Backstreet Boys were voted the Favourite Pop act while Simon Webbe was the Favourite Breakthrough Artist.
The Asian winners included India’s Jal, Vicki Zhao from China, Twins from Hong Kong and Thai singer Tata Young. Winners were determined by MTV viewers throughout Asia, who voted via SMS and online.
The night started off with Korn performing their song Twisted Transistor. The 4,600 capacity-crowd were treated to a true blend of East and West throughout the night.
Host city Bangkok got a special treat as Thai hip-hop group Thaitanium jammed with Simon Webbe in a performance of No Worries and Webbe’s Blue bandmate Lee Ryan partnered with Young for their version of the classic ballad Endless Love.
Taiwanese favourite Jolin Tsai performed Dancing Diva. Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Powter got behind the piano and sang his hit Bad Day. The night ended with Korea’s Kangta joining forces with Taiwan’s Vanness Wu for a duet performance of 2nd Scandal.
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.
