Cable TV
Den Networks Cable business reports op profit, Broadband op revenue up fivefold
BENGALURU: Den Networks Ltd (Den) Cable Distribution Network segment reported an operating profit of Rs 8.14 crore in in the fiscal ended 31 March 2016 (FY-16, current year) as compared a loss of Rs 0.43 crore in FY-15. Its Broadband segment operating revenue increased to fivefold in FY-16 as compared to FY-15. Broadband segment’s revenue in FY-16 was Rs 40.62 crore as compared to Rs 8.08 crore in the previous year.
The company reported 11.4 percent growth in consolidated Total Income from operations (TIO) as compared to the previous year. Den reported TIO in FY-16 of Rs 1,256.58 crore as compared to Rs 1,129.64 crore in the previous year.
Note: The unit of currency in this report is the Indian rupee – Rs (also conventionally represented by INR). The Indian numbering system or the Vedic numbering system has been used to denote money values. The basic conversion to the international norm would be:
(a) 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10,000,000 = 10 million = 1 crore.
(b) 10,000 lakh = 100 crore = 1 arab = 1 billion.
Den’s operating profit (Earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation) including other income increased 7.1 percent to Rs 193.03 crore (15.3 percent EBIDTA margin on TIO) as compared to Rs 180.23 crore (16 percent EBIDTA margin on TIO) in FY-15.
Segment Revenue
Three segments contribute to Den’s revenue: Cable distribution network segment (Cable); Broadband segment and Soccer segment.
Cable Distribution segment reported operating revenue growth of 7.2 percent in FY-16 to Rs 1,193.55 crore as compared to Rs 1,113.46 crore in the previous year. The segment’s comparative operating profit numbers have been mentioned above.
Den’s Broadband segment revenue numbers have been mentioned above. The segment’s operating loss increased to Rs 78.26 crore as compared to an operating loss of Rs 47.06 crore in the previous year.
Den’s Soccer segment reported revenue of Rs 24.1 crore, triple as compared to Rs 8.08 crore in FY-15. Soccer segment reported lower operating loss of Rs 34.15 crore in the current year as compared to an operating loss Rs 46.05 crore in the previous year.
Let us look at the other numbers reported by Den
Den’s loss for the current year increased to Rs 260.92 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 144.01 crore in the previous year
Den’s Total Expenditure in the current year increased 11.4 percent to Rs 1,362.85 crore (108.3 percent of TIO) as compared to Rs 1,223.18 crore (108.3 percent of TIO).
Content cost in FY-16 increased 12.4 percent to Rs 510.16 crore (40.5 percent of TIO) as compared to Rs 454.52 crore (40.2 percent of TIO) in FY-15.
Finance costs in the current year increased 3.1 percent to Rs 84.89 crore (6.7 per cent of TIO) as compared to Rs 82.30 crore (7.3 percent of TIO) in the previous year.
Employee Benefit Expense (EBE) in FY-16 increased 24.5 percent to Rs 137.77 crore (10.9 percent of TIO) from Rs 110.70 crore (9.8 percent of TIO) in FY-15.
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.
