Cable TV
Public authorities can deny cable laying permission to MSOs & LCOs
NEW DELHI: Stressing that multi-system operators (MSOs) and local cable operators (LCOs) are required to lay and establish cables and erect posts from time to time under, over, along, across, in or upon any immovable property under the control or management of a public authority, the operator can be directed to remove it or shift it or alter its position, as the case may be, at its own cost in the time frame indicated by the authority.
In new Guidelines to enable the State Governments to put in place an appropriate mechanism for speedy clearances of requests by operators for Right of Way, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has said that operators can be asked by the public authority in public interest to remove or shift or alter the position.
In a letter sent to Chief Secretaries of all states, the Ministry said Cable Operators sometimes are required to lay and establish cables and erect posts from time to time under, over, along, across, in or upon any immovable property ever vested in or under the control or management of a public authority, after due permission.
Section 48(5) of the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 specifies that the Central Government may lay down appropriate guidelines to enable the State Governments to put in place an appropriate mechanism for speedy clearance of requests from cable operators for laying cables or erecting posts in properties with a public authority.
The Ministry has laid the basic guidelines for this purpose which covers the procedure and the obligations of both the operators and the public authority in this regard.
It has also made it clear that no application by an operator can be rejected unless has been given an opportunity of being heard on the reasons for such rejection. The permission will be deemed to have been granted if the public authority fails to either grant permission or reject the applicationwithin 65 days of the receipt of the application.
Where the public authority accepts the undertaking by the licensee to discharge the responsibility to restore any damage that be cause, it may seek a bank guarantee for an amount in lieu of expenses for restoration of such damage, as security for performance in the discharge of the responsibility.
Any application to a public authority will be accompanied by a copy of the registration granted by the Government – by the Head Post Master for LCOs under Rule 5, and Central Government for MSOs under Rule 11C of the Cable Television Networks Rules 1994;
The extent of land required for establishment of the overground cable infrastructure will also have to be indicated.
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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.
