Cable TV
Home Ministry plans to scrap security clearance norms for MSOs
NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry has recently streamlined and relaxed national security clearance norms for certain sensitive sectors including the media sector, the Lok Sabha was told today.
The Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said the new policy guidelines include doing away with national security clearance for multi system operators (MSOs) in the media sector.
The guidelines are aimed at bringing about a healthy balance between meeting the imperatives of national security and facilitating the ease of doing business and promoting investment in the country.
It may be recalled that while several MSOs had been waiting endlessly for security clearances to ensure they get licences for digital addressable system (DAS) from the Government, the Home Ministry had, earlier this year, indicated requirement of fresh security clearance before renewal of permission can be considered.
Then in June, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had asked MSO applicants to file their applications in an affidavit, wherein they would give assurance that they have no criminal cases pending against them, and that they would shut down if they were refused security clearance. However, it now seems that these steps would be done away with completely with the Home Ministry changing its stance on security clearance for MSOs.
Meanwhile in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said security clearance is a pre-requisite for grant of permission to TV channels.
Hence, the Ministry has not permitted any private satellite TV channel without security clearance by the Home Ministry. In cases where security clearance is denied or withdrawn, action is taken towards cancellation of permission under the Guidelines.
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.
