Cable TV
Is DAS III optional in AP, Telangana? HC seeks Govt answer by 31 Jan
MUMBAI: A high court division bench has directed the Centre to respond to a PIL questioning the coercive manner in which the authorities were trying to bring in digital transmission of television programmes. Posting the case to 31 January, the bench has directed Central Government to clarify the issue.
The bench of the Hyderabad High Court of justice Shameem Akther and acting chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan directed the Central Government to respond to the public interest litigation questioning the manner in which the authorities were trying to bring in digital transmission even in small towns in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in place of transmission through cable television mode, the Hindu reported.
The bench was hearing a case filed by the Citizens Welfare Society of Hyderabad. The court was told that, though an Act has made digital transmission mandatory, the explanation said it was optional. Meanwhile, the Society argued, citizens were being coerced. Two phases of digital addressable system (DAS) were completed whereby major cities were covered.
The Centre now had started the third phase of DAS covering small towns in the two states (and across India). Government officials, the Society argued, had been threatening that after 1 February, television sets without (digital) set top boxes would not get signals.
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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.
