Cable TV
RIL to sell stakes in Den, Hathway for Rs 1,122 crore
NEW DELHI: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is getting ready to divest its shares in Den Networks and Hathway Cable through offers for sale (OFS) in compliance with the minimum public holding norms laid down by the Securities and Exchanges Board of India (SEBI).
RIL will sell its stakes in Den and Hathway, acquired through its subsidiaries in 2018, for Rs 853 crore and Rs 269 crore respectively.
According to a BSE filing, Jio Content Distribution Holdings, Jio Internet Distribution Holdings and Jio Cable and Broadband Holdings, promoters of Hathway Cable & Datacom, will sell 338 million shares, or a 19.1 per cent stake with a floor price of Rs 25.25. The promoters currently hold 94.09 per cent stake in Hathway.
Jio Futuristic Digital Holdings, Jio Digital Distribution Holdings and Jio Television Distribution Holdings will sell 55.5 million shares, or an 11.63 per cent stake, in Den Networks with a floor price of Rs 48.50
The OFS will open for non-retail investors on 26 March and for retail buyers on 30 March. In both the offers, 10 per cent of the offered shares are reserved for retail investors.
It may be recalled that in February 2020, RIL had merged Den Networks and Hathway with Network18 and TV18 to consolidate its media and distribution businesses under one umbrella entity.
The multinational conglomerate had acquired a majority stake in Hathway and Den in October 2018. At that time, it had invested around $1 billion to acquire 58.92 per cent and 51.34 per cent stake in Den Networks and Hathway Cable, respectively. Prior to this, Hathway was owned by the Raheja Group and Sameer Manchanda held a majority stake in Den.
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
