Cable TV
Lucknow cable ops to operate under one headend
LUCKNOW (UTTAR PRADESH): In a rare show of unity, about 10 cable operators in Lucknow, one of the bigger cable TV markets in the state, have decided to have a central headend in the city which will feed the member cable operators.
The move, if successful, is likely to prove a cause for worry for broadcasters who would find it hard to raise subscription money frequently as the united cable operators may successfully resist such moves.
“We are trying out this innovation of having a central headend in the city which will feed the operators who are with us. If we succeed to stick together for a longer period of time, then we can have a say in the pricing of channels,” a cable operator of Lucknow told indiantelevision.com.
However, media watchers in the State capital indicated that the unity may be “short-lived and fragile” as cable operators not only in Lucknow, but all over the country have continuously failed to sustain a unity – one of the reasons why broadcasters have managed to hike their subscription fees frequently. It needs noting though that in smaller towns it has been seen that cable operators do show more unity than those in bigger towns.
Lucknow has about 200,000 cable homes and over 10 cable operators. Still, it does not have a single multi-system operator (MSO). The Subhash Chandra-controlled Zee Tele’s subsidiary Siti Cable attempted to set up shop in Lucknow, but had to wind up operations owing to non-cooperation from the existing independent cable operators about six months back.
The central and common headend for cable operators in Lucknow is expected to be operational in about a fortnight’s time and will cost the cable operators about Rs 5 million.
For example, recently all the Star channels were blocked by cable operators in Lucknow for three days and it was only due to hectic negotiations by local representatives of Star that the channels were again back in the cable homes.
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.
