Cable TV
MSOs to put Star India channels on a la carte
MUMBAI: The multi system operators (MSOs) are gearing up for the big change. In order to meet the deadline given by the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), the leading MSOs under the umbrella of All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) met in New Delhi today.
“The main agenda of the meeting was to discuss how we will implement the order passed by the Tribunal,” says AIDCF president and Siti Cable CEO VD Wadhwa speaking to indiantelevision.com.
During the meeting, the MSOs discussed the modus operandi for implementation of RIO by 10 November and also the challenges.
“There are three major challenges: at the consumer level, at the local cable operator level and thirdly at the technology level,” adds Wadhwa.
Every MSO, according to Wadhwa has different subscriber numbers. “All the packages have to be upgraded or downgraded. We will have to see if the system can support the changes for millions of subscribers,” he says.
AIDCF has decided to put all the Star India channels on a la carte. “We cannot carry all the Star channels, since it is coming up to be very expensive. So we have decided to put all the Star channels on a la carte and will let the consumer decide which channels they want,” he informs.
Wadhwa says that even after the incentives that Star is offering, the cost for the MSO has doubled. “Even if we take the maximum discounts, the channel prices are going up by 100 per cent,” he says.
Not only this, AIDCF is forming a sub-committee which will be meeting Star India officials early next week. “The committee will meet the officials to explain to them the challenges we are facing. This system is viable for none,” he adds.
All the MSOs will be signing the RIO deals with Star before 10 November and in the meanwhile start working on creating new packages. “We will decide the pricing of the channel based on the consumer demand for the channel,” he concludes.
The MSOs will inform the consumers of the changes at individual level.
The meeting was attended by Siti Cable, Hathway Cable & Datacom, Den Networks, Manthan, GTPL amongst others.
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.
