Cable TV
‘The Apprentice’ fans in the US to receive text messages
MUMBAI: US broadcaster NBC has announced that fans of its business based reality show The Apprentice will be able to sign up for exclusive text message alerts to be sent directly to their cell phones from the candidates themselves during the show.
This initiative kicks off from today 20 March. NBC.com will offer weekly Apprentice alerts to subscribers, giving viewers the inside track to the unfolding onscreen action. Subscribers will receive up to five text messages from different candidates synchronised with the broadcast itself.
As the drama intensifies on screen – and boardroom battles rage – candidates will send out messages detailing their thoughts, strategies and decisions as the episode develops.
In India the show airs on Star World. Viewers can register at www.NBC.com/apprentice or text the word “APP” to the shortcode “62288” (NBCTV). On this week’s episode teams are given their fourth task – to design billboards launching the new face of Post Grape Nuts Trail Mix Crunch Cereal.
The winning team – determined by Post executives who judge the teams based on originality, brand image and overall campaigns – cooks alongside world-renowned chef Jean-George at his signature restaurant in the Trump International.
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.
