Cable TV
Turner Broadcasting restructures Asia Pacific operations
As part of its expansion of programming and new media initiatives,Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific, Inc. (TBS) is restructuring its regional advertising sales operations.
This new move involves creating separate sales forces for the entertainment and news divisions to build on the strength of its international brands – CNN, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies – across multiple platforms.
Jennifer Fletcher has been promoted to senior vice-president, advertising sales for Turner Entertainment Networks Asia Inc. (TENA). Reporting to Dave Dickman, who relocated to London in January, and Steve Marcopoto, President and Managing Director of TBS, Fletcher will look after advertising sales for Cartoon Network, TCM, HBO South Asia and the company’s new CETV venture in China. Fletcher was previously vice-president for TBS advertising sales.
Mark Whitehead, Vice President, News Network, Asia Pacific is relocating from Singapore to Hong Kong and expands his responsibilities to manage CNN’s sales operations in Hong Kong, South East Asia and Korea.
Monty Ghai takes on the new role of Director, Global Client Solutions, Asia Pacific. As TBS’s first Director for Global Client Solutions in Asia, Ghai will be responsible for working with advertisers to build marketing partnerships which leverage the corporate capabilities of Turner and other Time Warner properties to build new revenue streams.
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.
