Cable TV
NBC teams up with MSN for streaming Heist
MUMBAI: NBC and Microsoft has formed a partnership that will offer MSN Video the exclusive rights to stream the entire first two episodes of NBC’s upcoming drama series Heist on the Internet.
NBC will also provide MSN Video with a 16-minute special sneak-peek presentation of the debut episode from 14 March until the 22 March broadcast premiere
The episodes will be available as encores for one week after each of their airings, at 10 p.m., ET, on 22 and 29 March respectively.
NBC Universal Television Group chief marketing office John Miller said, “This relationship with Microsoft allows us to further enhance our marketing opportunities to draw attention to our shows from increasingly popular sites and formats.It’s a perfect marriage of technology and content, and we believe it is also tailor-made to reach out to the target demographic for this hot new series.”
Heist is directed by Doug Liman (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Bourne Identity) and written by Mark and Robb Cullen (FX’s Lucky). The series is described as a fast-paced, serialized drama with an ensemble cast playing burglars who attempt one of the biggest heists in history – to simultaneously rob the most renowned jewellery stores on Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive during Academy Awards week. The series is produced by Hypnotic, NBC Universal Television Studio and Sony Pictures Television.
Reports also state that MSN.com will offer a Heist photo gallery, top billing on its TV and entertainment homepages, and promotion on the video homepage, among other placements.
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.
