Cable TV
Den Networks reports higher revenue, operating profit
BENGALURU: Indian multi system operator (MSO) Den Networks (Den) reported growth in revenue and operating profit (EBITDA) for the quarter ended 31 March 2018 (FY 2018, fiscal 2018, year under review) as compared to the previous year FY 2017. Den’s operating revenue for fiscal 2018 increased 11 per cent to Rs 1,285.10 crore from Rs 1,157.34 crore in FY 2017. Total consolidated revenue including other income grew 9.7 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 1,314.98 crore from Rs 1,198.67 crore in FY 2017. Consolidated simple EBITDA including activation revenue during the year under revenue increased 41.7 per cent to Rs 324.52 crore (25.3 per cent of revenue from operations) from Rs 229.01 crore (19.8 per cent of revenue from operations).
The company’s net consolidated loss for FY 2018 reduced to Rs17.11 crore, which was less than a tenth of the loss of Rs 187.76 crore in the previous year. Consolidated total comprehensive loss for the year declined to Rs 16.77 crore from Rs 187.24 crore in FY 2017.
Segment revenue
The company has two segments – cable distribution networks (cable); and broadband. Cable segment revenue increased 12.5 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 1,209.75 crore from Rs 1,075.54 crore in FY 2017. Den reported that segment had an operating profit of Rs 61.63 crore as compared to an operating loss of Rs 60.98 crore in FY 2017.
Den reported 7.9 per cent decline in operating revenue for its broadband segment in FY 2018 at Rs 73.75 crore as compared to Rs 81.80 crore in the previous year. The segment’s operating loss reduced to Rs 31.91 crore in FY 2018 from Rs 36.31 crore in FY 2017.
Let us look at the other numbers reported by Den
Consolidated total expenditure for the year was almost flat – it increased by 0.1 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 1,321.43 crore (102.8 per cent of operating value) from Rs 1319.79 crore (114 per cent of operating value) in the previous year. The company has seen a rise in content cost in actual value as well as in terms of percentage of operating revenue over the past quarters and fiscal 2018. Consolidated content cost increased 14.1 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 539.80 crore (42 per cent of operating revenue) as compared to Rs 473.28 crore (40.9 per cent of operating revenue) in the previous fiscal. Consolidated placement fees reduced 7.9 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 46.21 crore (3.6 per cent of operating revenue) from Rs 50.20 crore (4.3 per cent of operating revenue).
Consolidated employee benefits expense during the year under review declined 12.5 per cent to Rs 107.99 crore (8.4 per cent of operating value) from Rs 123.37 crore (10.7 per cent of operating value) in FY 2017. Consolidated other expenses in 2018 reduced 5.7 per cent to Rs 312.79 crore (24.3 per cent of operating value) in FY 2018 from Rs 331.68 crore (28.7 per cent of operating value) in the previous year.
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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.
