Cable TV
MSOs in Kolkata request viewers to act as per guidelines
KOLKATA: It was early this year that the multi-system operators (MSOs) in Kolkata introduced the gross billing system. And since, through numerous advertisements and hoardings, they have informed cable television viewers in the Kolkata Municipal (KM) area about this.
However, seems like the viewers have still not come to terms with the fact that they have to pay as per the gross billing and not at their own will.
Cable TV sources point out that there is no difference at the ground level. “Customers don’t want bills and that is the reason why local cable operators (LCOs)are not handing out receipts,” says a city-based MSO who adds that the LCOs get the bills without delay.
However, with LCOs demand of a fee of Rs 5 from customers is hampering the process as well. The LCOs say that it requires money and manpower to distribute the bills and hence, the extra charge. “The LCOs are asking the customers if they need a bill and if so then the customers would have to pay Rs 5 extra,” says a MSO. “So they are not distributing bills using this as a reason,” he adds.
Kolkata has around 30 lakh cable homes and since mid-January the MSOs have started issuing ad-hoc bills.
“The MSOs are billing the full amount of package but in reality are getting much lesser in return. This problem needs to be solved at the earliest,” says another MSO.
Advertisements like ‘Collect your monthly bill from cable operator’, ‘Enjoy Your Selected Package’ have been doing the rounds for some time now.
The industry believes that to implement the gross (consumer) billing and bring transparency in the process, the MSOs will have to meet regularly. “Billing is a mess as LCOs are not willing to collect it and consumers are not willing to pay,” says a city-based cable analyst.
Cable TV
Hathway Cable appoints Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as CEO
Leadership change comes as cable TV faces shrinking subscriber base and modest earnings pressure
MUMBAI: Hathway Cable and Datacom has tapped industry veteran Gurjeev Singh Kapoor as chief executive officer, marking a leadership pivot at a time when India’s cable television business is under mounting strain.
Kapoor will take over from Tavinderjit Singh Panesar, who is set to retire in August after a long innings with the company. Panesar, chief executive since 2023, has held multiple leadership roles at Hathway, including his latest stint beginning in 2022.
Kapoor brings more than three decades of experience in media and entertainment. He most recently led distribution at The Walt Disney Company’s Star India business, now part of JioStar. His career spans television distribution and affiliate partnerships, with stints at Sony Pictures Networks India, Discovery Communications and Zee Entertainment.
Panesar, with over three decades in the industry, has worked across strategic planning, distribution and business development in media, broadcasting and manufacturing. His past associations include ESPN Star Sports, Star India, Apollo Tyres and JK Industries.
The transition lands as the cable sector grapples with structural disruption. Traditional operators are losing ground to streaming platforms, while telecom and broadband players tighten the squeeze with bundled offerings.
An EY report estimates India’s pay-TV base could shrink by a further 30 to 40 million households by 2030, taking the total down to 71 to 81 million. The slide follows a loss of nearly 40 million homes between 2018 and 2024, a contraction that has already wiped out more than 37,000 jobs in the local cable operator ecosystem.
Hathway’s numbers reflect the strain. The company reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 93 crore for FY25, down from Rs 99 crore a year earlier. Revenue inched up to Rs 2,040 crore from Rs 1,981 crore. As of December 2025, it had about 4.7 million cable TV subscribers and roughly 1.02 million broadband users.
Kapoor steps in with a familiar brief but a shrinking playbook. In a market where viewers are cutting cords faster than companies can reinvent them, the new chief executive inherits a business fighting to stay plugged in.
