Cable TV
Sports television conference Sportel partners with Shanghai Media Group
MUMBAI: Shanghai Media Group will be the official partner of the sports television event Sportel Asia 2006 in Shanghai, China.
Sportel executive VP David Tomatis says, We are extremely proud to be associated with the Shanghai Media Group, one of the major media players in Asia and especially China and we are looking forward to working closely with them in promoting Sportel Asia 2006.
Sportel Asia 2006 will take place from 20 to 22 March at the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel in Shanghai, China. The event will feature top-level sports executives representing broadcasters, cable and satellite services, hardware/software and facilities providers, programme distributors, event organisers, satellite services, producers, sports marketing agents, sponsorship and investment groups, sports federations, new media and international press from around the world.
Sportel Asia 2006 will focus on new technologies and in particular the reception of TV sports programmes, highlights, sports news and updates on mobile receivers. Telecom operators, manufacturers and software providers are invited to present their new systems which make it possible to receive TV sequences on mobile handsets (UMTS, TNT, DVB-H, DMB, WiFi, WiMax).
SMG says that it is pleased to be joining efforts with Sportel towards developing the global sports television industry. Hosting Sportel Asia in Shanghai offers not only a platform for exchanges between Chinese and international sports television, but also a good opportunity for China to display its sports television to the world.
Cosmopolitan development has allowed the sports industry to blossom in Shanghai. Each year, Shanghai hosts nearly 100 sporting events at national and international level. Prestigious events such as the ATP Masters Cup, the International Sports Production Exhibition, the Formula One Grand Prix, the ITTF World Championship and the NBA China Game have served to boost the image of Shanghai as well as to nurture a first class sports city in Asia.
As the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games draws nearer, SMG says that it believes that China will become the focus of world sporting industries.
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.
