Cable TV
Cable operators black out Star chnls in Kolkata
MUMBAI: A majority of cable networks in Kolkata have blacked out the Star group of channels, protesting against a seven per cent rate hike. Another contention is the forcing of the second bouquet which includes channels like Star One.
The Star channels including Star Plus are not available to most viewers in the city since Saturday midnight. The decision was taken by the last mile operators (LMOs) who also blamed Tata Sky, in which Star is a 20 per cent joint venture partner, for approaching housing societies with the offer of a central dish antenna through which individual installations could be provided for direct-to-home (DTH) service.
Indian Cable Net (which was bought out by Siticable) and Manthan Cable Network, the two big multi-system operators (MSOs) in the city, are not having the Star channels on their cable systems. “We were asked by the last mile operators not to carry the Star channels,” says an executive in Indian Cable Net.
Earlier, Star had switched off signals to Manthan after claiming outstandings of over Rs 20 million. “Manthan owed us money and we switched off signals on 15 March after giving a month’s notice. There is no reason for the other cable operators blacking us out as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has allowed a seven per cent hike,” says a Star India spokesperson.
Manthan director Gurmeet Singh admits Star was off the network from 15 March, but says the case regarding dues is pending in the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).
The protest against carriage of the Star channels was led by the Forum of Cable Operators and Cable Operators Sanjukta, two association bodies of the last mile operators in the city. “Star was asking for a hike, which we couldn’t have passed on to the consumers. Besides, Tata Sky, where Star is a partner, is wanting to grab subscribers by offering housing societies free cabling from a single central antenna,” says Cable Operators Sanjukta spokesperson Papi Banerjee.
Star channels are, however, available on Cablecom and Purvalaya Communications. “Star is also supporting some operators by issuing decoder boxes,” says a last mile operator in Kolkata.
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.
