I&B Ministry
Radio City reports higher revenue & profits for first quarter
BENGALURU: India FM Radio company Music Broadcast Limited (MBL) or Radio City reported higher revenue and improved profits for the quarter ended 30 June 2017 (Q1-18, current quarter) as compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year (Q1-17). The company reported 17.3 per cent higher total income for Q1-18 at Rs 703.1 million as compared to Rs 628.4 million in Q1-17. Total comprehensive income (TCI) for Q1-18 increased 42.3 per cent to Rs 108.4 million (14.5 per cent of Total Income) from Rs 76.2 million ((11.9 per cent of Total Income) in Q1-17.
MBL’s operating profit (EBIDTA inclusive of other income) in the current quarter increased 13.7 per cent to Rs 217.7 million (29 per cent of Total Income) from Rs 191.5 million (30 per cent of Total Income) in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Profit after Tax or PAT in Q1-18 also increased 42.3 per cent to Rs 108.4 million (14.5 per cent of Total Income) from Rs 76.2 million (11.9 per cent of Total Income) in Q1-17.
Total Expenditure for Q1-18 increased 11.7 per cent to Rs 584 million (77.9 per cent of Total Income) from Rs 522.7 million (81.8 per cent of Total Income) in Q1-17. Other expense in Q1-18 increased 9.9 per cent to Rs 258.2 million (34.4 per cent of Total Income) from Rs 234.9 million (39.8 percent of Total Income) in the corresponding year ago qurter.
MBL paid 10.9 per cent more towards license fees for Q1-18 at Rs 51.9 million (6.9 per cent of Total Income) as compared to Rs 46.8 million (7 per cent of Total Income) in Q1-17. Finance Costs in the current quarter declined 5.6 per cent to Rs 38.6 million (5.1 percent of Total Income) from Rs 40.9 million (6.4 per cent of Total Income) in Q1-17. Employee Costs in the current quarter increased 10.4 per cent to Rs 171.3 million (22.8 per cent of Total Income) from Rs 155.2 million (24.3 per cent of Total Income) in the previous year.
The company added eleven new stations acquired during Phase III auctions. All the 11 stations were operational for the entire quarter with utilization levels in new stations of 25 to 35 per cent. MBL says that 5 out of the 11 new stations were running at more than 30 per cent utilisation levels.
Company speak
Commenting on the results MBL director Apurva Purohit, said, “We have been able to deliver margins of approximately 32 per cent and show growth of 16 per cent despite additional operating cost of the new stations. This is because of rate hike in the legacy stations as well as better than expected utilization in the new markets. Our strategy of profitable growth and not bidding high costs for acquisition in Phase III along with maintaining lowest cost per million is delivery results. Going ahead in the future I see better utilization in our new stations supported by increased
utilization and price hike in our legacy stations. We are confident on maintaining our current level of EBITDA margins
and achieve our long term goal of profitable leadership.”
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I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
