Cable TV
All India Digital Cable Federation condemns ET hike in Delhi
MUMBAI: The Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party is currently dealing with a lot of criticism, especially from the cable and direct to home (DTH) sector. This, after it presented its budget for the national capital on 25 June. Of the many decisions, the government has decided to increase the entertainment tax on cable and DTH services from the current Rs 20 to Rs 40. While it is the consumers who have to bear the burden of the increased taxes, both the cable operators and DTH players have come out heavily on this decision.
The newly formed All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) through a statement said, “The Delhi government’s recent announcement proposing to double the entertainment tax on the cable TV and DTH services in the budget is an added burden on the common man whose main source of entertainment is television. Aam Aadmi Party, which had promised to control the prices by reducing electricity and water charges is negating by the proposed hike. Due to this, the common man will have to bear the brunt of yet again, an additional tax, as cable TV operators will have no choice but to pass on this hike to the common man.”
The statement further said, “It should be noted that cable TV is the biggest medium for news, entertainment and education. It should also be noted that the common man is already burdened by an increase in service tax from June 2015. The said proposal of Delhi government is like giving a piece of bread with right hand and snatching back the same from left hand. All India Digital Cable Federation strictly condemns the proposed hike.”
In an earlier statement, even the DTH Operators Association of India, a body consisting of all private DTH players had condemned the hike. Association president and Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera had then said, “The recent announcement of doubling of entertainment tax on cable TV and DTH services made by the Aam Admi Party government seems unfair and illogical. DTH as a platform is considered as critical to citizen’s right to information, news, education and entertainment. The sector is already saddled with high tax, where 33 per cent of revenues are taxed between the Centre and State. DTH operators that comprises Tata Sky, Dish TV, Airtel Digital TV, Videocon d2h, Sun Direct and Reliance Big TV, will have no choice but to hike their tariffs in Delhi to accommodate this hike in entertainment tax and the load will finally fall on the customer. By dropping electricity prices on the one hand and increasing entertainment tax on DTH on the other, does not seem like a move in favour of the aam aadmi! Is this how we plan to achieve a balance budget and reduce fiscal deficit?”
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.
