Cable TV
DEN Digital Cable: Den Networks hikes stake to 88.57%
MUMBAI: Den Networks recently entered into a pact with DEN Digital Cable Network (DDCN) for increasing equity stake of the company in DDCN.
Cable television multi-system operator (MSO) Den Networks has bought an additional 37.57 per cent shares in its subsidiary DEN Digital Cable Network, eventually hiking its stake to 88.57 per cent.
“Den Networks Ltd has entered into an agreement with DEN Digital Cable Network (DDCN) for increasing equity stake of the company in DDCN from 51 percent to 88.57 percent,” Den Networks said in a BSE filing.
The company has purchased the stake from existing shareholders of DDCN, the company added in the filing. The price of additional share purchase is Rs 4.60 crore.
DDCN carries its business of cable services in Gurgaon and the additional acquisition would help consolidate the cable business of the company in the state of Haryana.
Two main segments currently contribute to Den’s revenue: Cable distribution network segment (Cable, Cable business) and Broadband internet segment (Boomband).
Den Networks Ltd (Den) Cable business segment consolidated total revenue (pre-activation) increased 18 per cent in in the quarter ended 30 September 2016 (Q2-17, current quarter) to Rs 258 crore from Rs 231 crore in Q2-16. The company reported consolidated EBIDTA of Rs 34 crore in Q2-17 as compared to Rs 1 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter. Consolidated net loss in Q2-17 more than halved to Rs 48 crore as compared to a loss of Rs 99 crore in Q2-16.
Cable subscription revenue increased 31 percent y-o-y to Rs140 crore in Q2-17 from Rs115 crore in Q2-16. Cable activation revenue increased 17 percent y-o-y to Rs 32 crore from Rs 27 crore. Placement revenue declined 13 per cent y-o-y to Rs86 crore from Rs98 crore.
The company reported 101 lakh DAS subscribers, of which 51 lakh were from DAS phases III and IV for Q2-17. The company had 76 lakh digital subscribers in Q2-16.Den has a cable subscriber base of 1.3 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.
