Bharti Airtel is reportedly merging its DTH arm, Airtel Digital TV, with Tata Play in a share swap deal, with Airtel set to hold a majority 52-55% stake. Tata Play’s existing shareholders, including Tata Sons and Walt Disney, will retain 45-48%. The merger aims to strengthen Airtel’s broadband and entertainment portfolio by integrating telecom, broadband, and DTH services, as per the Economic Times 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 set to create JioStar, India's largest media entity. If finalised, this deal would mark the biggest consolidation in India’s DTH sector since Dish TV merged with Videocon d2h in 2016.
The merger would give Airtel access to Tata Play’s 19 million subscribers, aligning with its strategy to offer bundled telecom, broadband, and DTH services.
The pay-TV market has been shrinking, with the subscriber base dropping from 120 million to 84 million homes in recent years. TRAI data shows DTH users fell to 60 million in FY24 from 70 million in FY21, reflecting a shift towards digital streaming. To adapt, DTH players like Tata Play are expanding digital offerings, while telecom operators are leveraging OTT content to strengthen their broadband and telecom bundles.
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