Cable TV
Casbaa seeks crackdown on ad masking in Taiwan
The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa), a regional trade group, has met Taiwanese pay-TV regulators the Government Information Office (GIO) and the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) to register its strong concern over the masking of international cable TV advertising (or “clipping”) by “last mile” cable system operators in Taiwan.
“This is a very serious problem costing our industry millions of dollars in lost revenues,” said Simon Twiston Davies, CEO of Casbaa, according to an official release.
“These violations are having a serious economic impact on the regional broadcasters who do so much to provide market drivers for Taiwan’s domestic cable industry,” said Twiston Davies. “Another issue is the impact this kind of environment can have on further investment by the networks and other foreign and domestic players.”
Casbaa represents 120 pay-TV companies across Asia, including those operating in Taiwan. Members are drawn from cable systems, cable channels, satellite operators and equipment suppliers of all kinds. Casbaa notes that major Taiwan advertising agencies are creating “blacklists” of channels so sharply affected by the illegal masking activities. Some of the agencies say they can no longer recommend the channels as an advertising “buy” thanks to their inability to guarantee delivery of the messages.
Taiwan has almost 5 million cable-TV subscribers, providing a penetration rate of all TV homes of about 80 per cent, making it one of the most mature cable TV advertising markets in Asia.
Among those attending the Casbaa meetings with the GIO and the FTC were senior executives representing Sony’s Columbia Tristar, the Star Group, Walt Disney Television, National Geographic, AOL Time Warner, ESPN Star Sports and Discovery Communications. Also attending were officials from the American Institute in Taiwan and the head of the Asian division of the Motion Picture Association, representing the interests of the major Hollywood studios.
“We do recognise previous efforts by the GIO and FTC with regards to their support in this matter but urge them to take an even more proactive role in enforcing the present laws at a time when Taiwan will soon have to accede to the internationally binding WTO and World Intellectual Property Organisation treaties,” said Twiston Davies.
Casbaa has requested the following actions by the Taiwan authorities to address the ongoing problems with ad masking by the end of 2001:
(a) Enforcement of existing regulations by the central government rather than the local governments. (b) Heavy fines for system operators engaging in ad masking. (c) Ensure that compliance with the law is integral to the issuance, maintenance and renewal of pay-TV licenses.
Casbaa will be highlighting piracy and other regulatory issues during the upcoming Casbaa 2001 Convention in Hong Kong, 28-30 November.
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.
