Cable TV
Asianet to launch dedicated channel in Singapore on StarHub
MUMBAI: Malayalam channel Asianet is targeting the Malayalee population in Singapore with the launch of a dedicated channel on StarHub Digital Cable.
Asianet will be grouped with the specialty channels, and will be
Available to all StarHub Digital Cable customers for Sing $8 monthly in addition to their current cable service, informs a company release.
“Previously, the local Malayalee households did not have a dedicated channel showcasing programmes in their dialect, unlike the Hindi and Tamil communities in Singapore. Today, Malayalee households will be heartened to know that they will soon be able to enjoy a spectrum of Malayalam programmes on a 24×7 basis. From a corporate perspective, the launch of Asianet reflects StarHub’s continuing efforts to cater to the needs of ethnic communities in Singapore,” commented StarHub’s senior VP Cable TV Services Sandie Lee.
Lee is optimistic about the take-up for Asianet. “StarHub introduced a one-off, two-day Pay-Per-View of Malayalam programmes in conjunction with the Onam Festival in 2000, and the response was encouraging. We are confident that Asianet will garner a strong following in Singapore,” he said.
The impending launch of Asianet was met with a highly enthusiastic response from the Singapore Kerala Association. “It is definitely a dream come true!” said the president of the association, M. M. Dollah. “This is indeed a piece of terrific news that will be much welcomed by the Malayalee community in Singapore. We have launched many initiatives that have helped the Malayalee community develop closer ties with each other. The launch of Asianet by StarHub is set to become the focus of many of our future programmes to foster greater cultural understanding and closer relationships within and outside the Malayalee community in our unique multi-racial diversity.”
StarHub’s existing channels that cater to the Indian community and fans of Indian programmes are Sun TV, Zee TV, Star Plus and Sony Entertainment Television.
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.
