Cable TV
Arasu licence for ‘affordability’, pvt MSOs concern to be studied, says Naidu
MUMBAI: Affordability and world-class service were the main reasons for granting last month Digital Addressable System (DAS) licence to Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd (TACTV), the union minister for information and broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu said at an event of All India Radio in Chennai.
Naidu, however, said the government would take into consideration the concerns of private multi-system operators. He hoped that the state government would be mindful of the conflict of interest issue amid competition.
The Central decision had come as a surprise as it was against Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recommendations of permitting state government in broadcasting or distribution of television channels.
MIB was working to strengthen radio and Doordarshan owing to increasing competition, Naidu said. The minister, who paid a surprise visit to the Doordarshan office, said the Press Information Bureau website will be operational in Tamil from 15 August.
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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.
