Cable TV
Den Networks reports profitable Q3 2020
BENGALURU: Indian cable network and broadband company Den Networks Ltd (Den) reported consolidated profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 12.28 crore for the quarter ended 31 December 2019 (Q3 2020, quarter or period under review) as compared to a loss of Rs 31.21 crore for the corresponding year ago quarter (Q3 2019, y-o-y) and 28.9 per cent higher than the Rs 9.53 crore for the immediate trailing quarter (Q2 2020, q-o-q). Consolidated EBITDA for the quarter at Rs 58.28 crore was 21.2 per cent higher y-o-y than Rs 48.1 crore and was 20.1 per cent higher q-o-q than Rs 48.51 crore.
Den reported consolidated operating revenue of Rs 318.08 crore, which was 3.1 per cent higher y-o-y, but was 4.3 per cent lower q-o-q than Rs 332.42 crore.
Segment revenue
The company has two segments – Cable Distribution Network (Cable) and Broadband.
Cable revenue increased 3 per cent y-o-y in the quarter under review to Rs 300.46 crore from Rs 291.59 crore, but declined 4.6 per cent q-o-q from Rs 314.92 crore. Cable segment operating result for Q3 2020 was 6.23 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 8.95 crore for Q3 2019 and a loss of Rs 21.14 crore for the immediate trailing quarter.
Major revenue heads for the Cable business are Subscription, Placement, Other operating income and Activation. Cable Subscription revenue in Q3 2020 increased 10 per cent y-o-y to Rs 189 crore from Rs 172 crore and increased 6 per cent q-o-q from Rs 178 crore. Placement revenue increased 8 per cent y-o-y to Rs 87 crore from Rs 81 crore but declined 1 per cent q-o-q to Rs 88 crore. Other operating income in Q3 2020 declined 52 per cent y-o-y to Rs 6 crore from Rs 13 crore and declined 68 per cent q-o-q from Rs 19 crore. Activation revenue declined 29 per cent y-o-y to Rs 18 crore from Rs 25 crore and declined 39 per cent q-o-q from Rs 29 crore.
Broadband revenue increased 4.7 per cent y-o-y in Q3 2020 to Rs 17.62 crore from Rs 16.82 crore and increased 0.7 per cent q-o-q from Rs 17.50 crore. The segment reported a lower operating loss result for Q3 2020 at Rs 5.4 crore and a loss of Rs 6.6 crore for Q3 2019 and a loss of Rs 5.1 crore for Q2 2020.
Let us look at the other results posted by Den for Q3 2020
Consolidated total expenses for Q3 2020 at Rs 321.63 crore was 4.8 per cent lower y-o-y than Rs 337.84 crore and was 11.9 per cent q-o-q lower than Rs 365.27 crore. Consolidated content costs in Q3 2020 declined 4.7 per cent y-o-y to Rs 141.60 crore from Rs 148.65 crore and was 11.2 per cent lower q-o-q than Rs 159.45 crore.
Consolidated placement fees at Rs 1.08 crore during the quarter under review was 89.2 per cent lower y-o-y than Rs 9.99 crore and was 76.2 per cent lower q-o-q than Rs 4.54 crore. Consolidated employee benefits expense for Q3 2020 at Rs 23.72 crore was almost flat (down 0.3 per cent y-o-y and down 0.2 per cent q-o-q) than Rs 23.8 crore in Q3 2019 and Rs 23.8 crore in Q2 2020.
Consolidated finance costs during the quarter decreased 9.7 per cent y-o-y to Rs 4.38 crore from Rs 13.88 crore and declined 30.6 per cent q-o-q from Rs 6.31 crore. Consolidated other expenses in Q3 2020 increased 19.9 per cent y-o-y to Rs 93.39 crore from Rs 77.87 crore but declined 2.9 per cent q-o-q from Rs 96.15 crore.
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.
