Cable TV
MSOs request WB UD minister to waive off amusement tax arrears
KOLKATA: The multi-system operators (MSOs) in Kolkata have requested the West Bengal Urban Development minister Firhad Hakim to waive off amusement tax arrears, thanks to the cable television digitisation which has revealed their business details to the government authorities.
Cable TV sources said that the state government which is slated to get around Rs two to three crore every month as amusement tax from the MSO gets only Rs 15 – 20 lakh from the MSOs in the Kolkata Municipal Area (KMA) area now.
“Seeing the present situation, it can be assumed that the state government has lost between Rs eight to 10 crore in the form of amusement tax in last three months,” said a cable TV analyst.
After the DAS implementation, apart from the increased monthly subscription fee, the consumers are supposed to shell out Rs 10 more as amusement tax charged by the state government.
Firhad Hakim after taking a note to the appeal made by the MSOs has asked the MSOs to write a letter to the government and accordingly the state would look into the matter.
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.
