Cable TV
Consumer group demands government action on CAS
The Consumer Action Network (CAN) has censured the central government for failing to implement the recommendations of the task force on the introduction of a Conditional Access System.
CAN held a seminar on ‘Cable TV : New Age Dictatorship’ in New Delhi on 16 April, where speakers denounced ever increasing cable rates and subsequent government inaction. An organisation comprising a group of spirited citizens with special concern for consumer welfare, CAN claims the seminar helped raise several related issues faced by cable consumers.
The purpose of the seminar was to highlight and voice issues currently faced by cable TV viewers in the country. It aimed at being a platform for face – to – face dialogue with cable ops and broadcasters. Speakers included former MRTP acting chairman Sardar Ali, journalist Saeed Naqvi, Hinduja TMT executive vice president Ashok Mansukhani, Delhi high court advocate Shyam Moorjani, and CAN president Ahmed Abdi.
Some of the issues discussed at the seminar included freedom of choice, arbitrary rate hikes, absence of any regulatory authority in India unlike other countries and lack of initiative on the government’s part.
Abdi lamented the present state of the consumer who has neither choice in selection of channels nor in deciding the rates. Cable rates have increased by more than 400 per cent in five years, he pointed out. He alleged that suits broadcasters to delay the introduction of Conditional Access as they would no longer be able to bundle their weak channels and sell them forcibly along with the popular channels.
Naqvi commented that there was a need to create awareness on such issues through forums, debates and seminars. Moorjani stressed on the need for a regulatory authority to be formed that can regulate the broadcasting and cable industry and protect consumers. Cable TV, which has more than 200 million users in India and which is projected to grow into a Rs 5000 billion advertising industry, does not have any regulatory authority, he said.
Speaking on behalf of the cable industry, Mansukhani supported the consumers’ viewpoint and said that transparency should come in and that the cable industry is sick of allegations of ‘underdeclaration’. He stressed the need for a regulatory authority and conditional access. He also stressed on the need to freeze the rates.
The recordings of the findings and suggestions of the seminar will be forwarded to the information and broadcasting ministry.
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.
