Indiantelevision.com's > Digital Edge > Raghav Bahl set to enter cable TV biz; ropes in SET Discovery president Anuj Gandhi as CEO

Indiantelevision.com's Digital Edge

Raghav Bahl set to enter cable TV biz; ropes in SET Discovery president Anuj Gandhi as CEO

Indiantelevision.com Team

(7 August 2007 9:30 pm)

MUMBAI: TV18 founder-promoter Raghav Bahl is all set to enter into the cable TV business with Global Broadcast News joint MD Sameer Manchanda as partner. The duo have roped in SET Discovery president Anuj Gandhi as chief executive officer of this venture, a source in the company says.

The cable TV operations will be done through a separate company, the source adds.

Gandhi will be given a stake. He has resigned from SET Discovery and is currently serving a notice period, the source says.

Indiantelevision.com was the first to report that Bahl is planning to enter the cable TV business.

Hathway Cable & Datacom president SN Sharma who is in charge of North India is also joining the new venture. "He is being taken in as president of the northern region," the source adds.

The plan is to quickly have a pan India presence through various combinations with cable TV operators. "The idea is to have a professionally managed ground distribution network. The market is opening up as cable TV is set to move towards digitalisation," the source says.

With more players entering the cable TV space, competition among the multi-system operators (MSOs) is expected to spoil the short term profitability of the business.