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Tata Group-owned DTH service provider Tata Play has reported a loss of Rs 529.43 crore for the fiscal year 2025. The losses have widened by 49.6% year-on-year. In the fiscal year 2024, Tata Play reported a loss of Rs 353.88 crore.
Additionally, the revenues have also gone south of the subscription-based satellite television service provider in FY25. Tata Play's revenue from operations dropped by 5.15% to Rs 4,082.5 crore in FY25.
The advertising and promotional expenses also declined by 29.2% to Rs 124.28 crore in FY25 compared to Rs 175.54 crore in the previous fiscal year.
The total expenses dropped by 3% to Rs 4,619.22 crore in the same duration.
However, Tata Play's net debt has reduced from Rs 4,010.21 crore in FY24 to Rs 3,445.60 crore in FY25.
Tata Play, formerly known as Tata Sky, is primarily owned by Tata Sons and TS Investments, in which the former is the largest shareholder. In March this year, the Competition Commission of India approved the acquisition of certain additional shareholding in Tata Play by Tata Sons from Baytree Investments (Mauritius) Pte Ltd. The Proposed Combination involves the acquisition of a 10% shareholding in Tata Play by Tata Sons.
The DTH industry is undergoing a severe crisis as Over-the-top (OTT) platforms have dominated the entertainment space in Indian households. According to data by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the total subscriber base for Direct-to-Home (DTH) services dropped to 56.92 million as of March 2025 from 58.22 million in December 2024.
While DTH players are finding it hard to survive, the Centre has exacerbated the fears of the dilapidated industry by slapping a notice to four DTH companies of Rs 16,000 crore for unpaid license fees.
The notices demanded principal dues and accumulated interest from Bharti Telemedia, Tata Play, Dish TV, and Sun Direct. Tata Play has received a cumulative demand of Rs 3,628 crore, including Rs 1,401.66 crore in interest.