Cable TV
Hathway’s Panesar succeeds Wadhwa as AIDCF head
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Hathway Cable & Datacom’s Video Business CEO T S Panesar has taken over as the new president of the All-India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF), the apex body of digital cable television players.
Panesar was unanimously elected at AIDCF’s 11th governing council meeting held in New Delhi. He succeeds SITI Networks ED and CEO V D Wadhwa who completed his two-year term as the founder-president of the Federation.
Panesar has over 20 years of experience in media and entertainment industry, both on the broadcasting and distribution side.
The governing council also appointed SITI Networks COO Anil Malhotra as he vice-president and Fastway Transmissions Private Ltd CEO Peeush Mahajan as the treasurer of the Federation.
AIDCF placed on record its appreciation for the immense contribution made by Wadhwa as the founder and first president of the Federation over two years ago. Under his aegis, the federation earned its stripes with MIB, TRAI, DoT, Ministry of Finance and all the other industry bodies i.e. IBF, DTH Federation, CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM etc in the media & entertainment Sector.
The Federation has played key role in bringing all the major players of the industry controlling over 70 per cent of the business under one umbrella and have taken up the issues concerning the cable industry by liaising with the concerned government department/ministry as well as with the other industry bodies of the broadcasters and DTH operators besides playing key role in resolving the deadlock in implementation of phase III of digitization.
On giving over the baton to Panesar, Wadhwa said, “A solid foundation has been laid for addressing all the concerns of the industry and I am confident that under the leadership of Panesar and active participation by all the members, the federation would further gain strength and shall be able to create an environment for the profitable growth of the cable industry.”
Commenting on his appointment as the AIDCF president, Panesar said, “I am deeply honored and privileged to be appointed to lead the federation. It’s a big challenge and responsibility entrusted upon me and I look forward to working closely with all members to bring further changes in the environment. Having seen the evolution of the cable & broadcasting industry from the analogue to the digital regime, we are now at the cusp of a another major shift in light of the new regulation which is aimed at improving transparency, empowering customers to exercise choice and ensuring orderly growth of all stakeholders in the eco-system. We strongly believe that technology should be leveraged to address the changing needs of the industry. Together, we will strive towards strengthening our bond with all stakeholders to deliver a world class service to the consumers and improve customer satisfaction levels.”
AIDCF secretary -general Saharsh Damani said, “With digitisation entering into last phase and focus on wired broadband gaining traction for all the members, I am sure that, under Panesar’s leadership, the digital cable industry will enter into the next orbit of momentum and growth.”
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.
