Cable TV
MSOs get permission to operate in other areas apart from permitted areas
NEW DELHI: In a major change of policy aimed at expediting digital addressability of cable television in the country, the Government late this evening said all registered multi system operators “are free to operate in any parts of tire country, irrespective of registration for specified DAS notified area(s) granted earlier”.
Until now, MSOs are licensed by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to operate only in areas specified by them in their applications, unless they have applied for pan-India registration.
A notice on the Ministry website said if any registered MSO has operationalized the service in any DAS notified area(s) in any part of the country, it would be treated as having been implemented the service on his part irrespective of the number of the Set Top Boxes (STBs) installed by him.
However, the registered MSO has to submit the details of Headend, SMS, subscribers list and a self-certificate that he is carrying all the mandatory TV channels.
This has to be done within six months from date of issuance of MSO registration to the Ministry, failing which the MSO registration is liable to cancelled/suspended.
All other terms and conditions of the registration shall remain unchanged
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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.
