JioStar reports 11.6% revenue growth in Q3, but profit dips
What's the story
JioStar, the Reliance-controlled media and entertainment firm, has reported an 11.6% sequential increase in its revenue for the December quarter. The company's revenue from operations stood at ₹6,896 crore during this period. The growth was mainly driven by a surge in subscription income across digital platforms and television, as well as an increase in digital advertising due to connected TV expansion and new film/web show launches.
Profit drop
JioStar's profit before tax declines in Q3
Despite the revenue growth, JioStar's profit before tax for the quarter fell by 32.2% to ₹898 crore. The company's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) also declined to ₹1,303 crore from ₹1,738 crore in the previous quarter. This decline indicates that while JioStar was able to generate more revenue during this period, its overall profitability took a hit compared to earlier quarters.
User growth
JioStar's digital platform sees significant user growth
JioStar's digital platform, JioHotstar, saw its average monthly active users (MAU) reach 450 million during the October-December quarter. This is a 13% increase from the previous quarter and matches numbers from Q1 (April-June 2025) when IPL was held. The company attributed this growth to new seasons of popular shows like Bigg Boss in three languages and strong performances across Hindi and regional launches as well as TV network content.
CEO statement
CEO comments on entertainment watch time growth
Kevin Vaz, the CEO of Entertainment at JioStar, spoke about the company's success in converting cricket fans to other forms of entertainment. He said, "Our entertainment watch time grew by 15% over the quarter, driven by the biggest seasons of Bigg Boss and strong performance across our regional and Hindi portfolio." However, he also noted that the TV entertainment ads market remains challenging due to spending cuts by FMCG and consumer electronic companies.