Cable TV
InDigital announces ESOPs for local cable operators
MUMBAI: Diwali is a time for celebration and in keeping with the spirit, business partners and local cable operators (LCOs) of InDigital, the digital cable network and NXT Digital, the HITS or Headend-In-The-Sky network of the Hinduja Group’s media vertical were in for a pleasant surprise.
In a Diwali message via video to distributors and LCOs across the country, Hinduja Group of Companies chairman Ashok P Hinduja announced, “With the smart turnaround of the media business, the time has come for distributing the shareholding in the form of designing equity based plans to LCOs; as LCOs are the foundation on which the business has been built and every LCO must consider the company as his own. The scheme is currently under development.” He further expressed his immense satisfaction in seeing so many LCOs transform into business-persons of stature and success.
This move is expected to help transform the cable landscape in the country and give a fillip to the LCOs who have been associated with the digital platforms of the Hinduja Group – some for nearly 24 years, the time the cable TV business was instituted.
Reacting to the announcement, Ashok Singh, a long-time business partner and distributor in Mumbai said, “This announcement continues to reflect the culture and the long-standing commitment of the Hinduja Group to the thousands of LCOs who are part of the cable distribution business, across the country.” Akram Khan, an LCO, who has also been associated with the Group for over two decades reiterated, “We have always known the Hinduja Group to stand by us, especially when we faced challenges; and this announcement shows that the Hinduja Group continues to put its pariwar of LCOs always first. We are delighted to hear this!”
Hinduja also went on to allay LCO fears that LCOs should not fear competition. Instead, they should feel proud that they are a part of a unique, boutique company delivering quality and differentiated services to customers and should focus on ensuring that they provide the highest levels of customer service.
He also went on to announce a special scheme for LCOs to expand their business and become direct selling agents of various products and services of the group on a fee-based model; with full training and other support from the group to be launched soon. This initiative of the group is expected to help especially smaller LCOs in semi-urban and rural markets, diversify their revenue streams and help them leverage and monetise their relationships with their customer, even more effectively.
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.
