Cable TV
Al Jazeera to partner with Indian players for distribution
NEW DELHI: Al Jazeera, which is launching an English language international news channel around May this year, has earmarked India as an important market.
According to Al Jazeera Internationals commercial director Lindsey Oliver, the channel plans to partner with some local companies for distribution purpose.
India is an incredibly important market for us, but first we are looking at being present on all important carriers (cable networks) to create an awareness, Oliver, who was recently in Delhi, told Indiantelevision.com in an exclusive chat.
And, it was evident from the hectic meetings that the channels senior executives from headquarters Doha and local ones had with a cross section of the broadcast and cable industry.
However, she added that Al Jazeera International is not focusing on any one particular market or few geographical areas. Instead, its looking at a wider global canvas.
We are looking at building awareness and distribution all across the globe instead of getting big market share in certain markets, Oliver explained.
To be beamed off Pas10, Al Jazeera International has already set up shop in India with a bureau headed by Anmol Saxena, who has been in the business of television for some years now.
Saxenas company has arranged for pubcaster Doordarshan coverage of the Iraq invasion by the US and produced documentaries like one Mohd Ali Jinnah for Zee News, amongst other works done for various networks.
Oliver feels that after six months of launch, Al Jazeera International would look at expanding its activities in India by possibly going in for local distribution tie-ups.
Though Al Jazeera shot into fame via its Arabic channel during the Iraq invasion by the US that reveled in giving a platform to terrorist outfit Al Qaida, Oliver feels that the international English channel would not go out of its way to court controversy.
Like any other international news channel, ours also would have news from all round the globe. But just as CNN is an international channel with an American perspective and BBC is one with a British outlook, well be a global news channel with a Middle Eastern perspective, Oliver spelt out the channels positioning.
Interestingly, Al Jazeeras Arabic feed telecasts exclusively on certain time bands on the Rajat Sharma-controlled India TV news channel.
Al Jazeera International would be the worlds first English language news channel to be headquartered in the Middle East and the channels broadcasting centres will be located in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, London and Washington DC.
An InterBrands 2004 global survey ranked Al Jazeera as the worlds most influential brand among all media networks and as the worlds fifth most influential brand behind Apple, Google, IKEA and Starbucks.
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.
