Bharti Airtel is reportedly merging its DTH arm, Airtel Digital TV, with Tata Play in a share swap deal, with Airtel set to carry a majority 52-55% stake. Tata Play’s present shareholders, together with Tata Sons and Walt Disney, will retain 45-48%. The merger goals to strengthen Airtel’s broadband and leisure portfolio by integrating telecom, broadband, and DTH companies, as per the Financial Instances report.
The potential merger of Airtel Digital TV and Tata Play comes at a time when Reliance and Disney’s Star India-Viacom18 merger is about to create JioStar, India’s largest media entity. If finalised, this deal would mark the largest consolidation in India’s DTH sector since Dish TV merged with Videocon d2h in 2016.
The merger would give Airtel entry to Tata Play’s 19 million subscribers, aligning with its technique to supply bundled telecom, broadband, and DTH companies.
The pay-TV market has been shrinking, with the subscriber base dropping from 120 million to 84 million houses lately. TRAI knowledge exhibits DTH customers fell to 60 million in FY24 from 70 million in FY21, reflecting a shift in direction of digital streaming. To adapt, DTH gamers like Tata Play are increasing digital choices, whereas telecom operators are leveraging OTT content material to strengthen their broadband and telecom bundles.
Written with the View : afaqs