Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network Limited (SABTNL) was originally promoted in 1985 by Promoters, Gautam Adhikari and Markand Adhikari as a Partnership Firm under the name of S'ri Adhikari Brothers'. Since December, 1994, Partnership Firm had discontinued the business of serial production. The Company thereafter had undertaken the entire business of Sri Adhikari Brothers i.e, production of television serials through payment consideration of Rs 0.1 Crore towards goodwill to the Firm .
The company is presently into the production of television software (serials) for various popular channels such as Zee TV., EL TV., and Doordarshan. It earns its revenue from advertisement as well as from the sale of television software programs. The company exports its software to television channels in UK, USA and Africa. The company has entered into a joint venture with a Sri Lankan based private channel Sirasa TV, whereby the company will provide for and sell media concepts for a fee.
On 23rd April, 2000 the company launched its own 24 hour Hindi general entertainment channel SABe TV in alliance with Turner International India Private Limited. Presently this channel is free-to-air channel. Also it has over 6500 hours of content software in its library and expects to add 1500 hours of content to its media library during current year.
The Company has ceded about 2800 decoders to facilitate SABe TV distribution throughout the country. SABe TV at present reaches over 23 million cable and satellite households. The Company is trying to spread the distribution further to small pockets and toensure the channel positioning in prime/colour brands.
The company has entered into a joint venture agreement by acquiring 50% stake with a UK based channel - MATV Channel 6 - the only RSL operator for Asian channel. During January 2002 the company acquired the Channel business of SABe TV Limited a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. By venturing into south zone the company has acquired slots on Sun,Gemini and Udaya TV.
Of the Company's Global initiative program it launched SAB Tv in United Kingdom on satellite platform which was distributed through DTH platform of BskyB and has reach of 4,00,000 homes.
The Company hived off SAB TV on 15th April, 2005 to SET Satellite Singapore Pte. Ltd during 2005. However, it got into another revenue stream with the commissioning of Software Business.
During 2008-09, Company acquired 99.98% of the Equity shares of TV Vision Private Limited and therefore, it became a subsidiary of the Company. It launched a music & comedy television channel 'Mastiii' during 2010. Two more channels, Dabangg & Dhamaal got launched in 2011. Further, on 4 April, 2012, the Company incorporated 'SAB Entertainment Network Private Limited', as a Wholly Owned Subsidiary Company.
During the year 2014-15, the Scheme of Amalgamation between Maiboli Broadcasting Private Limited (MBPL) and Sri Adhikari Brothers Assets Holding Private Limited (SAB Assets) and the Company and UBJ Broadcasting Private Limited (UBJ) and HHP Broadcasting Services Private Limited (HHP) and MPCR Broadcasting Service Limited (MPCR) and TV Vision Limited (TVL) and SAB Events & Governance Now Media Private Limited (SAB Events) for the demerger of Broadcasting Business Undertaking and Publication Business Undertaking of the Company into TVL and SAB Events respectively was made effective from the demerger date i.e. 15 January, 2016. In terms of the Scheme, TVL and SAB Events were required to issue and allot to each member of the Company in the following ratio: 1 Equity Share of TVL for every 1 equity share held by the equity shareholder in the Company. 3 Equity Shares of SAB Events for every 10 equity shares held by the equity shareholder in the Company and 10,000 Preference Shares of TVL and SAB Events to the preference shareholders of the Company on proportionate basis.