DTH
Dish TV moves TDSAT against Star Life OK name change & turning FTA
NEW DELHI: After having raised an alarm a day back over an impending monopoly of Star India if it wins the broadcast and other rights to IPL cricket, Essel/Zee Group’s DTH platform Dish TV has moved broadcast and telecoms disputes tribunal seeking restraining order against Star Life OK’s rebranding process and turning free-to-air (FTA).
In its interim prayer Dish TV has sought an order from disputes tribunal TDSAT to “restrain” Star India from converting Life OK from a pay channel to FTA by changing its name to Star Bharat and joining the Doordarshan FreeDish platform. Reason?
According to the petition, reviewed by Indiantelevision.com, Star is making the changes “without informing” sector regulator TRAI as also without giving public notice about the change as “specified in clause 4-3 of the TRAI regulations.”
Star India is in the process of renaming on-air GEC TV channel Life OK (a pay channel) into Star Bharat and put it on Doordarshan’s FTA DTH platform DD FreeDish. Though industry sources indicated that the change was to come into effect from sometime end of August 2017, sources in Prasar Bharati, owner and manager of DD, had said the pubcaster’s DTH platform was not yet technically capable of bringing on board more channels despite they winning slots to be part of the FTA KU-band service as an upgradation process was still not complete.
The case at TDSAT is scheduled to for an initial hearing on 25 August 2017. Dish TV, along with its partner Videocon D2h, has appealed the tribunal for a restraint on Star India and any other further direction that it may “deem fit and proper” keeping in mind the facts placed before the court.
Keep tuned in for more episodes on the new and unfolding corporate warfare in the Indian media and entertainment realm.
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DTH
Den Networks reports Rs 1,227 million FY26 profit growth
Revenue crosses Rs 10,009 million as margins improve and costs ease
MUMBAI: Not all signals are on screen some are buried in the balance sheet. Den Networks has reported a steady financial performance for FY26, with profit after tax rising to Rs 1,227.53 million, reflecting improved operational discipline despite a relatively flat top line. For the year ended March 31, 2026, the company posted revenue from operations of Rs 10,009.17 million, marginally higher than Rs 9,891.45 million in FY25. Total income stood almost unchanged at Rs 12,282.10 million compared to Rs 12,279.77 million a year earlier, signalling stability rather than aggressive expansion.
The real story, however, lies beneath the surface. Total expenses declined to Rs 10,648.32 million from Rs 10,691.30 million, driven by tighter cost controls across key heads. Employee benefit expenses dropped to Rs 548.64 million from Rs 651.52 million, while depreciation and amortisation expenses also eased to Rs 652.01 million from Rs 723.06 million, indicating a leaner operational structure.
As a result, profit before tax rose to Rs 1,633.78 million from Rs 1,588.47 million, while profit after tax improved to Rs 1,227.53 million, up from Rs 1,173.96 million in the previous year. Earnings per share stood at Rs 2.57, compared to Rs 2.46 in FY25, underlining incremental shareholder value creation.
On the balance sheet front, the company’s total assets expanded to Rs 43,416.76 million from Rs 42,496.64 million, supported by a sharp rise in bank balances to Rs 30,628.71 million. Equity also strengthened to Rs 38,532.74 million, reflecting accumulated profits and a growing financial cushion.
Cash flow dynamics, however, present a more nuanced picture. While investing activities generated a net inflow of Rs 632.80 million, operating activities saw an outflow of Rs 553.50 million, largely due to tax payments and working capital adjustments. The company ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 151.70 million, up from Rs 106.11 million.
Taken together, the numbers suggest a business that is prioritising efficiency over expansion holding revenue steady while tightening costs and strengthening its balance sheet. In an industry where growth often grabs headlines, Den Networks appears to be making a quieter statement: sometimes, resilience is the real signal.
