Cable TV
CCTV to air its version of “The Apprentice” in May
MUMBAI: China is offering another version of the reality show The Apprentice – minus Donald Trump. The show Win in China is being produced by China Central Television (CCTV). It is a show where would-be entrepreneurs compete to win positions as CEOs of new businesses.
The executive producer of the new version, Wang Lifen, said the show shares some similarities with the popular US series, but there are essential differences as well. Win in China will debut in May, and viewers will take on the New York businessman’s role of deciding who gets fired by voting electronically for their favourite, according to producers.
Lifen said, “I think The Apprentice show is driven by money, which is hard to accept in Chinese culture. What we’re looking for is the talent of self-management and entrepreneurship.The program matches very well with the country’s current situation.”
The American show has contestants vying for a job as apprentice to millionaire businessman Trump. Contestants are given tasks that test their skills in sales, marketing, advertising and finance. They compete against each other, often to see who can make the most money. At the end of each show, Trump whittles down the applicant pool by declaring “You’re fired!”
Win in China will be a much more dramatic and interactive program since the audience will participate. Chinese participants will also endure rigorous business tasks that test their tenacity to withstand hardship. Viewers will vote for the winner, and some will even become shareholders in the new company, according to CCTV.
In the Chinese version, the top winner is given the reins of a new business with a registered capital of no less than 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million), while the other four winners will get to run smaller firms. The startups are being funded by Asian and international venture capital firms.
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.
