Cable TV
Countdown begins for Commonwealth Games; Nine Network announces telecast plan
MUMBAI: The Australian television network Nine has announced an all-star team of over 40 presenters, commentators and reporters for its telecast of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games from 15 March.
Ray Martin, Liz Hayes and Nicole Livingstone will host Nine’s exclusive coverage of the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Ken Sutcliffe will present the network’s evening coverage of the Games, with Mark Nicholas covering the afternoon sessions. The morning programming will be anchored by James Brayshaw and Garry Lyon. Leila McKinnonm will provide sports updates throughout the telecast.
Nine’s Commonwealth Games coverage will commence with the special Countdown To The Games, a one-hour special at 7:30 pm on 15 March, before the Opening Ceremony. Nine’s commentary team features a host of Commonwealth and Olympic Games greats such as Ray Warren and Duncan Armstrong.
Nine Network head of Sport and Commonwealth Games Gary Fenton says, “This is an outstanding group of talented presenters, commentators and reporters set to bring Australian viewers all the action and excitement of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.”
Meanwhile, The All Asia Broadcast Centre of Astro Malaysia will provide 650 hours of live and delayed telecast of the Melbourne Commonwealth Games scheduled from 15 to 26 March. The coverage will kick off with the opening ceremony on 15 March at 5:30 pm.
Astro programming director Zainir Aminullah said Astro subscribers would have the chance to watch all the action in Melbourne via Astro Super Sports on Channel 80 at no additional cost.
In India, Prasar Bharati had bagged the 2006 Commonwealth games broadcasting rights. The event will be available live on DD National and DD Sports. AIR will broadcast running commentary of important matches and events.
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.
