Cable TV
PanAmSat and EWTN hatch alliance
PanAmSat has announced a 15-year, transponder lease agreement with the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) which claims to be the world’s largest religious media network.
The new sales agreement consists of one 36 MHz c-band transponder for follow-on capacity at 133 degrees on the G1-RR satellite for US domestic distribution. PanAmSat, the provider of global video and data satellite broadcasting services, will work with the EWTN team to help the religious network enter new markets and expand its coverage around the globe. In its 20th year, EWTN claims to have become the largest religious media network in the world, transmitting programming to more than 70 million homes in 38 countries and territories on 2,500 cable systems, wireless cable, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), low power TV and individual satellite users.
EWTN Global Catholic Network claims to have more than 20 years experience in the area of religious programming. It claims a reach of more than 70 million television homes across the globe, transmitting its signal through 12 satellites (North America, Latin America, Europe, the Pacific Rim and Africa/India) with customised channels for each continent, 24-hours a day.
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.
