Cable TV
SitiCable to host get-together for LMOs, broadcasters
KOLKATA: SitiCable Network is all set to welcome the New Year on a positive note and how? The national multi-system operator (MSO) is hosting its yearly get-together with around 14,000 last mile operators (LMOs) along with their families and the broadcasters attending it. The get-together which is scheduled for 4 January 2014 is a platform for the MSO to discuss its ambitious expansion plans in the eastern region as well as share their achievements.
“This get-together is very important for us. It is here that we will talk about the cable TV industry and also announce our achievements, particularly, in the eastern region,” informed SitiCable Kolkata director Suresh Sethia.
The MSO claims to have seeded around 1.7 million set top boxes (STBs) in the eastern region. “With the cable TV digitisation being in full swing, across the eastern region, we plan to install another 1.5 million STBs by December 2014,” added Sethia.
This is not all. The MSO is also focusing on creating and acquiring content for approximately eight server based television channels. “We are looking at acquiring content in the eastern region. This meeting will help us talk to both the broadcasters and the LMOs directly,” he said.
The MSO, who is currently planning at acquiring content for server based channels in Kolkata, will also look at tapping into the market in Patna and Guwahati.
A cable TV analyst said, “The MSO has number of plans already under consideration and before complete digitisation, it is the best opportunity for it to address all the opportunities and the issues so that it can achieve its target.”
The eastern region accounts for around 40 per cent of the revenue to SitiCable. “It is one of the most important markets for the company,” added the cable TV analyst.
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.
