Cable TV
Betsy Frank is Viacom Cable Networks executive VP, research, planning
MUMBAI: Media conglomerate Viacom has announced that Betsy Frank will be the executive VP, research and planning, Viacom’s Cable Networks, film and publishing.
Frank will report jointly to Viacom co-president and co-COO Tom Freston and MTV Networks president and CEO Judy McGrath.
Frank will work to support the company’s cable, film and publishing divisions’ creative and business goals by developing original consumer research strategies. Viacom is looking to deepen its relationship with its audiences, reinforce best practices across its cable, film and publishing divisions and ensure that the consumer is at the heart of all strategic decision-making.
Freston added, “When it comes to getting inside the minds of consumers, Betsy is the best in the business. Betsy’s work here, over the last seven years, has been a huge factor in the phenomenal success of MTV Networks.
“And, at the heart of that, has been her ability to provide great consumer insights, knowledge and observations that have helped us craft our business and programming strategies and our moves into the digital world. It’s a great opportunity now to take Betsy’s expertise and share it with the other divisions in my portfolio.”
Frank joined MTV Networks in 1997 as executive VP research and planning. During her tenure at MTVN, she built the company’s research departments into industry leaders through a proactive, strategic approach to consumer research. Her emphasis on planning, analysis, and integration has not only contributed to the recent record successes of MTV Networks, but has fostered new ways of understanding consumer tastes and trends industry-wide.
Over the years, she has produced research studies and analyses, including Leisure Time Study. This examines the consumers evolving media and entertainment habits. She also has been at the forefront of identifying and understanding the new, current generation of media consumers, the Media Actives, whose tastes and attitudes are having significant impact across the entertainment industry.
Her influence also extends to the press, as she has been vocal in championing the changing trends in television, most notably identifying the parity between broadcast and cable television in reaching specific audiences.
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.
