Cable TV
Bangalore cable tragedy: Officials unclear about third probe
BANGALORE: Karnataka government officials are of the opinion that another inquiry report to probe the circumstances that led to a seven-year old boy’s death is not required, as per media reports.Earlier, Bangalore Electric Supply Company (Bescom) and the chief electrical inspector to the government (CEIG) had submitted their inquiry reports.
On 15 July, Karnataka chief minister Dharam Singh is purported to have ordered a third probe when he visited the boy’s house. According to authorities, it is unclear whether or not he meant another inquiry by principal secretary Ranganath.
As reported earlier, Bescom had initiated a cable cutting frenzy holding a wrongly strung cable TV wire responsible for the tragic event. A compete blackout of TV by the cable operators was averted with CM’s intervention.
A preliminary inquiry initiated by Bescom’s chief engineer (CE) had found BCC responsible for the tragedy, along with the concerned Bescom staff.
Ranganath had obtained the details of the two investigations and a report from the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation (KPTC). Action has been initiated against the four Bescom persons named – an assistant executive engineer, engineer, a junior engineer and a linesman, all of whom have been suspended and are facing an inquiry.
According to reports, 20 August has been fixed as the deadline to complete the comprehensive review of all hazardous cables. Ranganath is to hand over the KPTC’s report to the CM early next week, based on which the CM is expected to pass orders.
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.
