Cable TV
JAINHITS welcomes TRAI’s new tariff order for commercial subscribers
MUMBAI: Headend in the Sky (HITS) player JAINHITS has welcomed Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) newly announced tariff order pertaining to commercial subscribers, subscribing to cable TV services in the country.
As per the new order, commercial establishments who do not specifically charge its clients/ guests on account of providing TV programmes and offer them as part of amenities are to be treated like ordinary subscribers, wherein charges would be on per TV basis. In cases where commercial establishments specifically charge its clients/ guests on account of providing TV programmes, the tariff would be as mutually agreed between the broadcaster and the establishment.
“NSTPL during its response to TRAI Consultation Paper also supported that rates charged from hotels etc. should be on per TV basis. We at NSTPL fully support TRAI’s announcement, as this in a sense means that rates charged from commercial establishments/ hotels etc. for their lounges/ rooms shall be same as far as a normal subscriber till such time they offer it as basic amenities. It is aimed to streamline the distribution of TV services to commercial subscribers at competitive rates, and improve the availability of content for TV viewership in hotels etc,” said Noida Software Technology Park (NSTPL) head-regulatory and corporate affairs Devinder Singh.
He added, “TRAI has clearly mentioned that in all the cases, commercial subscriber has to obtain television services only from a distribution platform operator (MSO/ DTH operator/ IPTV operator/ HITS operator/ Cable Operator). And JAINHITS is fully capable to meet the needs of the large establishments besides home consumers due to its ubiquitous reach across India. We have the ability to provide broadcast services to hotels and commercial establishments with a varied mix of content in regional, Hindi and English language across the country.”
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.
