Cable TV
Telangana state government sets up committees to track the television sector
MUMBAI: This is one state which is taking the central government’s order to keep a check on the content being aired satellite TV channels following the hue and cry which was raised after the Peace TV controversy. We are referring to the Telangana state government.
Yesterday it constituted the State and District level monitoring committees whose job will be to ensure effective implementation of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act.
The committees are expected to meet at least once a year and submit a detailed annual report for Telangan, including district-wise data of cable operators registered within the state and estimated number of TV homes/viewers, to the I&B ministry before 31 December 31 annually. Their job would also be to recommend action and forwarding complaints against satellite television channels that are violating the government’s orders on the programme and advertising codes to the I&B ministry, to ensure that respect, dignity and self-esteem of children and women and other sections of society are duly protected, to see whether the authorised officers are effectively performing their duties, to see how many cases are handled by them and what decisions are arrived at, to give suggestion/ guidance to district/ local level committee, to take decision on the matters referred to it by district/ local level committee, to collect data/ information from district/ local level committee and forward it to I&B secretary.
On the state level committee would be the following: the principal secretaries of revenue and home, secretary and commissioner of I&PR department, Doordarshan Kendra Hyderabad director and commercial taxes commissioner.
The district level committee would have the following members: district collector, superintendent of police, commercial taxes deputy commissioner or his representative and the district public relations officer.
Observers believe that the setting up of the committees is a step in the right direction, but the state would have done well to have other representatives from society and the private sector to give a more holistic perspective.
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.
