DTH
Star, Zee and Viacom 18 among successful bidders for FTA channels on DD Freedish
NEW DELHI: Rishtey owned by Viacom18, Zee Anmol and Star Utsav are among the six slots filled through the 14th online e-auction for the direct-to-home (DTH) service of Doordarshan Freedish conducted on 11 and 12 August.
Doordarshan sources told indiantelevision.com that the slots were auctioned in the range of Rs 4.5 crore to Rs 4.7 crore, while the reserve price had been Rs 3 crore. The other slots went to Big Magic, B4U Music, and Shree News.
The e-Auction was conducted by Synise Technologies, Pune, on behalf of Prasar Bharati.
Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar had said earlier this month that the aim was to reach the target of 97 channels by October-end and 125 by March-end.
The participation amount given by the channels had been Rs 1.5 crore which was deposited in advance along with processing fee of Rs 10,000 (non-refundable).
Applicants also deposited a demand draft of Rs 5,500 as registration amount (mandatory) favouring Synise Technologies, payable at Pune at the time of submission of the application.
Prasar Bharati sources said that the demand drafts of unsuccessful bidders were to be returned within a week after the e-auction process was completed.
DTH
Den Networks reports Rs 1,227 million FY26 profit growth
Revenue crosses Rs 10,009 million as margins improve and costs ease
MUMBAI: Not all signals are on screen some are buried in the balance sheet. Den Networks has reported a steady financial performance for FY26, with profit after tax rising to Rs 1,227.53 million, reflecting improved operational discipline despite a relatively flat top line. For the year ended March 31, 2026, the company posted revenue from operations of Rs 10,009.17 million, marginally higher than Rs 9,891.45 million in FY25. Total income stood almost unchanged at Rs 12,282.10 million compared to Rs 12,279.77 million a year earlier, signalling stability rather than aggressive expansion.
The real story, however, lies beneath the surface. Total expenses declined to Rs 10,648.32 million from Rs 10,691.30 million, driven by tighter cost controls across key heads. Employee benefit expenses dropped to Rs 548.64 million from Rs 651.52 million, while depreciation and amortisation expenses also eased to Rs 652.01 million from Rs 723.06 million, indicating a leaner operational structure.
As a result, profit before tax rose to Rs 1,633.78 million from Rs 1,588.47 million, while profit after tax improved to Rs 1,227.53 million, up from Rs 1,173.96 million in the previous year. Earnings per share stood at Rs 2.57, compared to Rs 2.46 in FY25, underlining incremental shareholder value creation.
On the balance sheet front, the company’s total assets expanded to Rs 43,416.76 million from Rs 42,496.64 million, supported by a sharp rise in bank balances to Rs 30,628.71 million. Equity also strengthened to Rs 38,532.74 million, reflecting accumulated profits and a growing financial cushion.
Cash flow dynamics, however, present a more nuanced picture. While investing activities generated a net inflow of Rs 632.80 million, operating activities saw an outflow of Rs 553.50 million, largely due to tax payments and working capital adjustments. The company ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of Rs 151.70 million, up from Rs 106.11 million.
Taken together, the numbers suggest a business that is prioritising efficiency over expansion holding revenue steady while tightening costs and strengthening its balance sheet. In an industry where growth often grabs headlines, Den Networks appears to be making a quieter statement: sometimes, resilience is the real signal.
