Cable TV
‘Create high impact content to unite audiences and then monetise’: Nair
MUMBAI: “Distraction is a one night stand, attraction is a marriage,” said Star Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair. Speaking at FICCI Frames on ‘Attraction in the age of distraction,’ Nair stressed on the fact that creating compelling content for an audience who is constantly on the move and has multiple choices available was of utmost importance.
“Content will continue to remain king. A new generation of media consumers has risen who want and demand content delivered to them when they want it, how they want and where they want it. Power is moving away from the old elite in our industry,” Nair said.
Nair stressed on the fact that the broadcasters required to create high impact content to unite audiences and then monetise the fragments over time, space and applications. Examples of these that Nair mentioned were The Simpsons, which gained popularity with the television series and also proved to be a rage in the U.S when it diversified into various areas like merchandising and T-Shirts. Also, another example was The Walt Disney Television International with its various divisions like theme parks, merchandising, publishing, licensing, television, theatre, television production and distribution.
“The number of television channels in the country has also grown tremendously in the last few years. Almost a 100 channels were launched in the last four years,” Nair said.
He also threw light on the different delivery platforms namely IPTV, DTH, broadband, mobile SMS, multiplexes, gaming, internet that more and more consumers were accessing increasingly.
Some formats that have worked well for the Star India network are Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Nach Baliye and The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (TGILC). Star launched mobisodes around TGILC, went online with the KBC game on their website and garnered a huge response from the audiences around the shows. “The important thing is to use 360 degree communication in order to reach unified audiences in a fragmenting environment,” said Nair.
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.
