Cable TV
Zee plans to launch Southern channels overseas in Q1 2007
MUMBAI: Zee Network is planning to launch its two southern language channels overseas in the first quarter of 2007-08.
There is no decision taken yet on which country Zee Telugu and Zee Kannada would launch first. “we are looking at taking these two channels to the international markets. There is a sizeable audience to be tapped,” says Zee’s south initiatives head Ajay Kumar.
Zee is also preparing to launch a Tamil and a Malayalam channel to cover up all the southern language states. But these are tough competitive markets, dominated by Sun TV, Asianet and Surya.
Zee’s aim is to have a presence across eight regional languages of India. Already available are Zee Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Punjabi, Zee Gujarati, Zee Telugu and Zee Kannada. The focus will be on consolidating in these eight languages over the next five years by clubbing the language entertainment channels with regional news channels.
The regional channels form a part of Zee’s demerged entity, Zee News Ltd (ZNL). Under this company also falls the news channel business.
ZNL has projected a 33 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years to touch a revenue of Rs 8.7 billion by FY 2011, up from Rs 2.01 billion in FY 2005-06. The operating margins, which stood at 16 per cent, are expected to expand to around 30 per cent during this period.
ZNL has a networth of Rs 1.7 billion. The capital employed (as of 1 April 2006) is Rs 2.31 billion with loan funds standing at Rs 612 million. The company has no major capex requirement at this stage.
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.
