Cable TV
Impact of DAS on Sports Ecosystem
DAS (digital addressable system) is here to stay. Despite the shortcomings, the hiccups in the implementation of the first two phases, the government has announced that it will not extend the deadlines of December 31, 2015 for phase III areas and December 31, 2016 for phase IV, when the entire country is expected to be digitised. After complete switchover, cable TV services will be available only through set top boxes in India.
We, at the Indiantelevision.com are starting a new section – ‘The Impact of DAS’ through which thought leaders, experts from the television ecosystem will share their thoughts, ideas, and say their piece on the subject. We are beginning with the impact of DAS on the sports broadcasting ecosystem.
Our first expert for the section is Sony Six and Sony Kix Business Head Prasana Krishnan. Sony Six and Sony Kix are a part of the Sony Pictures Network (earlier known as Multi Screen Media Network.)
Excerpts:
How big an impact has phase I and II digitisation made when it comes to subscription revenues?
Digitisation is a very significant and essential step for unlocking the true subscription potential. It is designed to benefit all stakeholders including content owners, broadcasters, distributors and consumers as it brings addressability and transparency into the system. We are still in early stages of this and full addressability is still some time away but the overall impact on subscription revenues has been very positive.
From a sports broadcaster’s point of view are you happy with the two phases of digitisation?
The first two phases of digitisation have primarily focused toward catering to the change in the 4 metro’s and households in cities with over 1 million in population. The experience and progress has been quite positive as the consumer in India is today getting unprecedented access to sports content. The analog regime had some capacity limitations which often meant prioritisation of sports and ignoring niche interests. Digitisation has been a key factor behind the growth of non-cricket sports viewership in the country as it has enabled access to such content on a consistent basis. While the overall progress in these markets is very positive, the full potential is still to be unlocked and a lot still remains to be done in terms of full addressability, channel packages, etc.
Is the sports broadcasting industry in a subscription positive scenario? Or we are still ad dependent?
Globally, sports broadcasting is primarily driven by subscription and in some cases, it can be even as high as 90 per cent of total revenues. In India, dependence on ad spends is still very high and I think it will continue to be so in the foreseeable future. But the share of subscription revenues has seen a good increase in recent years with the advent of DTH sector and digitisation and will hopefully continue to grow.
Are sports like Football, Badminton which are hugely popular but attract limited advertising profitable assets for a sports broadcaster?
With spur in economic developments and maturing viewership preferences, sports viewership in the country has moved from a single sport to a multi-sport consumption. Compelling alternate sports have now taken a step ahead, and we are seeing their popularity permeate down amongst the Indian audiences leading to increased overall demand for alternate sports. While certain sports like cricket are extremely advertiser friendly due to their format, others like football, badminton, etc have higher limitations in terms of advertising. But these sports can be profitable especially with the advent of digitisation and the improving subscription market.
With phase III and IV scheduled do you see a substantial upward growth in subscription revenues?
Digitisation is clearly beneficial for sports broadcasting and some of the benefits are already visible from the first two phases. Phase III and phase IV will help in continuing this growth and would be clearly positive for the industry.
How can a non-cricket sport or a sport with limited ad room turn profitable for broadcasters?
We are currently in a very exciting decade for sports consumption with viewership patterns and preferences showing a particular change over the previous years. Non-cricket sports have been at the forefront of growth in the country and fans are increasingly connecting with these sports. Eventually, profitability is clearly a factor dependent on viewer acceptance besides costs. It is not possible to have a generic answer that applies for all non-cricket sports as it would be a case specific. If a particular sport has found strong viewer acceptance, profitability will definitely follow irrespective of advertising inventory constraints.
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.
