Cable TV
Hathway launches ad-free value-added service
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom have announced the launch of a new segment– Hathway Special under its cable business. The service is currently available to only DTH subscribers. For all the Hathway subscribers, the ad-free service will be offered for a free preview starting from 9 February for 30 days.
Hathway Special will cater to customers looking for additional services over and above broadcaster channels and will be priced between Rs. 15 to Rs. 60 per service on a monthly basis.
“At Hathway, we take pride in being the first MSO in the country to launch exclusive and diverse Value Added Services for all our subscribers.With the addition of the new service – Hathway Special, it is our endeavour to provide services best in the industry, be it in the form of experience, quality or pricing. We are empowering our LCOs to further enhance their business in terms of earnings and efficiency with this new Value Added Service. We are sure that Hathway Special will add significant earnings to the LCO just as the Hathway Connect Portal helped in ease of business and improved efficiency for all,” said Hathway Cable and Datacom chief executive officer video business T. S. Panesar.
The subscribers will now have a choice of viewing value added services across nine different genres including the best of blockbusters, and music videos. Additionally, devotional content and animated content for children is also available on Hathway Special. The company aims to provide at least 30 offerings under Hathway Special catering to more varied genres while expanding its reach and viewership in the months ahead.
The MSO is also focused on making available non-linear content of the likes of Video-on-Demand (VOD) and other localised content respective to its market.
The new services under the Hathway Special range include:
o MiniPlex: Blockbuster Bollywood movie premiers
o Comedy Wala: Classic comedy show to New series; Original clips to comedy tweaked Bollywood clips
o Lamhe Movie: Timeless classics and heart-warming stories from the bygone era
o Yippee: Fun Learning and engagement for kids including animated nursery rhymes, moral stories, etc.
o Garv Shree Swaminarayan: A devotional service for Swaminarayan – Bhakti, Aarti montage in Gujarati
o Om Shakti: A devotional service for Aarti, BhajanJaaps, with live coverage of special events
o Ibaadat: A devotional service for Tilawat E Quran, Naat Shareef, Hadees Shareef
o InSync: A Classical Music service with Ustaads and Maestros of the field
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.
