Cable TV
SPN’s distribution team brings cheer to Maharashtra LCOs through ‘Nukkad LIVE’
KOLKATA: The Covid2019 pandemic has had a seismic effect not only on the way businesses run but also on several other aspects of people's lives. The cable industry, the unsaid essential service, has played a major role in the current environment keeping people entertained and informed. While a majority of the population was under a shelter-at-home directive, last mile operators kept working on-ground risking their lives to provide seamless services to their subscribers. SPN was the first network to salute these unsung heroes through its ‘Happy Hero’ campaign. Taking the relationship with the operators forward and to bring some cheer , excitement to the last mile operators, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) undertook a novel initiative of virtual event, ‘Nukkad LIVE.’
Through ‘Nukkad LIVE’ last mile operators, more commonly known as LCOs, get to enjoy specially curated acts as well as interact with the artists & key protagonists of various SPN channel shows.
"The new normal in our day to day to work life has shifted to the digital interface. We have always believed in staying connected with our trade partners & we enjoy excellent partnerships with MSOs across the country. The ‘Nukkad LIVE’ initiative is really about going a step further & creating opportunities for interaction for SPN’s well known show artists with the last mile, namely the LCOs. They are really the unsung heroes who are risking their lives every day to keep the pipeline of entertainment flowing and alive. After seeing the huge success of ‘Nukkad LIVE’ in Maharashtra with the likes of DEN and GTPL, we will soon be extending this format to the Hindi GEC & sports genres,” said Sony Pictures Networks (distribution business) EVP Sales and Marketing, Makarand Palekar.
SPN has initiated the first leg of this digital collaboration in the Maharashtra market bringing actors from Sony Marathi and leading operators from the state together. Samir Choughale, Vishakha Subhedar and Vanita Kharat, all well-known names from the Marathi entertainment industry, are part of this campaign to meet operators on the ‘Nukkad LIVE’ platform.
While Kharat holds the meet-up together by anchoring it, Choughale is interviewing Subhedar and the latter gets humorously offended. The fun banter ends with the stars thanking the operators for their relentless support and service to keep the show on during the lockdown period as operators made sure all the viewers got uninterrupted signals for their daily dose of entertainment. The 40-minute meet ended with both the actors interacting with the trade fraternity by answering their questions.
Although both broadcasters and distributors are dependent on each other to run their businesses, during this crisis period, such collaborations can help to keep the touch points on both sides alive and lighten the burden of social distancing, on everyone.
What do the partners think?
“Good initiative by the Sony Marathi & distribution team to connect & engage our business partners using the virtual platform. Spreading a smile is very important in the present situation where people are facing a lot of hardship. All the best to the Sony team,” GTPL Hathway Ltd promoter and managing director Aniruddhsinh Jadeja said.
“This unique initiative by Sony team to bring the last mile operators together, added a new dimension to strengthen relationship between broadcaster, MSO & LCO. It helps the industry to work towards a common goal of inclusiveness by involving the last mile which further encourages them to provide better services,” DEN Satellite director Rajeev Gavi shared.
“Brilliant programme! The execution of the event was seamless despite the dependency on technology. Inviting the LCOs to this event and mentioning the special relationship that Den Satellite and Sony shares further strengthens the bond between stakeholders. Artists were really entertaining and it was thoroughly enjoyed by our partners,” DEN Satellite director Ravishankar Singh said.
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.
