Cable TV
Hathway Cable & Datacom reports improved numbers for Q2-18
BENGALURU: The demerged Hathway Cable and Datacom Limited (Hathway) reported standalone profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 140.1 million for the quarter ended 30 September 2017 (Q2-18,current quarter) as compared PBT of Rs 100.3 million in the immediate trailing quarter Q1-18 (q-o-q). It may be noted that Hathway’s numbers for Q2-17 include both cable television and broadband numbers and hence cannot be compared with Q2-18 revenues that include only broadband revenue. Hence, Hathways numbers for the current quarter have been compared to its numbers from the immediate trailing quarter Q1-18 (quarter ended 30 June 2017)
Hathway’s total revenue of Rs 1,370.8 million for the current quarter was 5.5 percent more q-o-q than Rs 1,299.4 million. Revenue from operations in Q2-18 was 1.7 percent higher q-o-q at Rs 1311.5 million than Rs 1290 million.
Hathway’s total comprehensible income (TCI) for the current quarter was a little more than half (lower by 49.1 percent) q-o-q at Rs 139.8 million as compared to Rs 274.6 million on account of exceptional items that had increased TCI in Q1-18 by Rs 1713 million. Simple operating EBIDTA for Q2-18 at Rs 526.6 million was 7.6 percent higher q-o-q than Rs 489.4 million.
Hathway’s total expenditure in the current quarter increased 2.6 percent q-o-q to Rs 1,230.7 million from Rs 1,199.1 million. Finance costs in the current quarter increased 17.1 percent q-o-q to Rs 201.9 million from Rs 172.4 million. Employee benefits expense in Q2-18 increased 18.3 percent q-o-q to Rs 105.3 million from Rs 89 million. Other operational expenses in the current quarter increased 6.8 percent q-o-q to Rs 328.9 million from Rs 307.9 million. Other expenses reduced 13.1 percent in Q2-18 to Rs 350.7 million from Rs 403.7 million.
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.
