Cable TV
Can a MSO block a channel airing unfavourable poll survey?
MUMBAI: It’s a classic case of how politicking could intrude the media space. It’s not just about garnering eyeballs, buying advertising slots, publishing advertorials or simply influencing the electorate potentially through favourable exit or etc poll outcomes.
Here, it’s a straight case of gagging the media which may purportedly harm one faction’s interest, and the Tamil Nadu state machinery seems to be involved.
Tamil television news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai on 7 April protested against its alleged blackout in 15 districts of the state. The channel wrote to the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV) managing director J. Kumaragurubaran that its channel was taken off air since the previous night after it aired the results of a poll survey in the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, where a byelection was scheduled to be held on 12 April.
The channel’s CEO R.B.U. Shyam Kumar said that the survey results had reflected the mood of the voters. Kumaragurubaran urged Arasu to consider its plea to protect the rights of the media and take immediate action.
The state-run TACTV blacked out Puthiya Thalaimurai channel on Thursday night as its survey of the RK Nagar constituency saw voters recognising O Panneerselvam as the natural political heir of Jayalalithaa over Sasikala (and not incumbent Edappadi Palaniswami) as the future chief minister. AIADMK chief and late CM’s incarcerated companion VK Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dinakaran was reportedly involved in the blackout.
In the backdrop of the R.K. Nagar bypolls, Tamil Nadu woke up to income-tax raids on Friday morning in an apparent crackdown on cash distribution among voters. In the constituency, documents suggesting money distribution to the tune of Rs 120 crore were seized from the MLA hostel.
IT officials surveyed the house and other locations of the state health minister Dr. C. Vijaya Bhaskar, an important member of the Sasikala faction and a known fundraiser. Another IT team checked the residence bungalow of AISMK head and actor-politician R. Sarath Kumar, who had declared his support to TTV Dinakaran, allegedly at a price. The raids also covered MGR Medical University vice chancellor Dr. Geethalakshmi, who may be the conduit of black money from private medical colleges in the state.
DMK interim president, M K Stalin, meanwhile demanded of the chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy to sack Vijayabaskar from ministerial position.
Seeking to influence the voter may not be new. But, trying to block independent television channels airing pro or anti-factional surveys is unheard of. Puthiya Thalaimurai strangely went off the air in the districts where mostly Arasu Cable signals are distributed.
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.
