Cable TV
Den Network gets RBI nod for increase in FDI to 74%
BENGALURU: After receiving Foreign Investment Promotion Board’s (FIPB) permission to increase its foreign direct investment (FDI) limit from the existing 49 per cent to 74 per cent a few months ago, Den Network Limited has now received approval for the same from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
A letter from Den Network’s company secretary Jatin Mahajan to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) says that the company has received approval from the RBI for increase in FDI limit beyond 49 per cent and up-to 74 per cent by Foreign Institutional Investors (FII), Non Resident Indians (NRI), Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) and other eligible foreign investors.
The approval is subject to compliance Regulation 5(2) of FEMA Notification No 20/2000 RBI dated 3 May, 2000 (as amended time to time) issued under FEMA 1999 and conditions specified in FDI Policy circular dated 12 May, 2015.
As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, with this, the company which is currently building its broadband base and also working towards digitisation in phase III and IV areas, is looking at attracting overseas capital into the company.
It can be noted that Den Networks had sought for increase in FDI limit beyond 49 per cent and up to 74 per cent by FIIs, NRIs, FPIs, and other eligible foreign investors through route of secondary market and / or open market purchase.
Earlier in March this year, the Board of Directors of Den Networks had approved this proposal to increase foreign investment limit. The decision was subject to shareholder approval (through postal ballot), FIPB nod and adherence to all other statutory requirements.
Currently, FIIs hold 22.79 per cent stake in Den Networks.
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.
