Cable TV
Arasu ‘monopolistic practices’ decried by LCOs, TN body seeks GST exemption
MUMBAI: A Tamil Nadu federation of unions to which hundreds of cable operators owe allegiance has alleged that the Arasu MSO has been following ‘monopolistic practices’ and acting against the welfare of its members.
It also made a series of demands from the state and central governments including forming a welfare board for cable TV operators, strict monitoring of Arasu operations by the union ministry and exemption of cable TV operations from Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Limited (TACTV) had set the subscription fee as Rs 70, which was below the fee recommended by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Of this, cable operators were expected to pay 50 per cent to Arasu, the federation alleged.
Hundreds of cable TV operators from across Tamil Nadu on Monday observed a fast condemning TACTV for acting against the welfare of cable TV operators.
The Federation of Cable TV Associations of Tamil Nadu (FCTATN) has alleged that Arasu had claimed that it owned the complete cable the infrastructure and subscribers although TACTV was formed with almost zero investment since the necessary infrastructure and last mile connectivity were provided by the LCOs (local cable TV operators). “This is unfair,” FCTATN chief coordinator D.G.V.P. Sekar said.
Alleging that TACTV was formed with almost zero investment since all the necessary infrastructure and last mile connectivity were provided by the local cable TV operators, the participants said that it was unfair on the part of TACTV to claim that all the infrastructure and subscribers as its own.
The operators also accused TACTV of taking away from them the responsibility of collecting subscription fee, and asking the subscribers to directly pay it online. “Now, operators will have to wait for TACTV to credit the share to us,” Sekar said.
FCTATN members also alleged that TACTV’s taluka-level and district-level control room operators were often appointed on the recommendation of ruling political party functionaries, and acted in an ‘high-handed behaviour’ towards the cable TV operators.
ALSO READ :
Arasu seeks more time to go digital as it waits for STBs
Punjab govt. studying Arasu & other regulatory models on distribution
Kal Cables can continue analogue transmission, says Madras High Court
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.
