Cable TV
Siti Cable CEO VD Wadhwa appointed as president of the new All India Digital Cable Federation
MUMBAI: In a significant move to organise the digital cable industry for the overall benefit of all stakeholders and to facilitate and further create momentum for digitisation for phase III and IV, major Indian multi system operators (MSOs) have come together under the aegis of the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF).
The newly formed federation held its first meeting on 15 October 2014 in New Delhi, which was attended by all the leading MSOs i.e. Hathway, Den Network, Siti Cable, In Cable, Digi Cable, Fastway, GTPL, ICNCL and Manthan. With the formation of new Digital Cable Federation, the earlier forum of MSO Alliance has been dissolved.
The members have unanimously elected SITI Cable executive director and CEO VD Wadhwa as the president of the federation (AIDCF) for an initial term of two years.
The federation will work towards the overall growth of this sector and create environment for not only complete digitisation of cable TV under regulatory guidelines but also will deliver the benefits of digital services including broadband and other value added services to the people of India thus fulfilling the dream of ‘True Digital India.’
AIDCF will be the official voice for the Indian digital cable TV industry and will interact with ministries, policy makers, regulators, financial institutions and technical bodies. It will also provide a platform for discussion and exchange of ideas between these bodies and the service providers, who share a common interest in the development of digital cable TV in the country.
It will collaborate with other industry associations such as IBF, CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM association etc., with the objective of presenting an industry consensus view to the government on crucial issues relating to the growth and development of the industry.
The federation has invited all MSOs who have minimum one lakh digital cable TV subscriber base and who are following TRAI QOS norms to become members, so that entire industry speaks in one voice and works for common objective.
The members of federation will also work out the business model for phase III & IV digitisation and create the healthy business environment for all stakeholders.
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.
