Tata Play, formerly known as Tata Sky, has reported widening of consolidated loss to ₹529.43 crore for FY25, as it competes with other DTH operators including DishTV, Airtel Digital TV, and DD Free Dish.
The company had incurred a net loss of ₹353.88 crore in FY24.
Revenue from operations declined 5.15% to ₹4,082.5 crore in FY25. Reasons for the company’s widening loss could not be immediately known.
Total income, which includes other income, was also down 5.03% to ₹4,109.3 crore in last financial year, according to financial data accessed by business intelligence platform Tofler.
Tata Play’s advertising promotional expenses were down 29.2% to ₹124.28 crore in FY25, as against ₹175.54 crore a year before. Total expenses were 3% lower at ₹4,619.22 crore.
However, the company reduced its net debt to ₹3,445.60 crore in FY25 from ₹4,010.21 crore a year ago.
As of March 31, 2025, Tata Sons is the largest shareholder in the company with 60% shares. A year ago, it had acquired 10% stake in Tata Play from Baytree Investments (Mauritius) Pte Ltd, an affiliate of Singapore’s Temasek Holdings, in a $100 million deal.
After Tata Sons, Network Digital Distribution Services FZ – LLC (NDDS) and TS Investments Ltd are the company’s second biggest shareholders, owning 20 per cent shares each.
Currently, Tata Sons and TS Investments are the two promoters of Tata Play.
The direct-to-home service provider competes with DishTV, Airtel Digital TV, and DD Free Dish, owned by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati.
Earlier, telecom services provider Bharti Airtel and the Tata group were in discussions for the merger of their loss-making Direct DTH business.
However, on May 3, Bharti Airtel informed that discussions for a merger have been terminated because the two sides were not able to find a satisfactory resolution.
Tata Play had also tried to get listed. It had received the nod from capital market regulator Sebi to raise funds through initial public offering (IPOs).
However, it was delayed due to “certain observations” from Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB). MIB had asked for a change in the equity structure of the company in a letter to Tata Play on October 7, 2022.
Published – June 26, 2025 01:19 am IST
