Cable TV
DAS III: IBF welcomes Delhi HC order
MUMBAI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has welcomed the order passed by the Delhi High Court on 3 November 2016 dismissing nine DAS-related petitions. The petitions dealt with the time extension for implementing digital addressable system (DAS) in certain areas of Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and Uttar Pradesh under Phase-III, the deadline for which had expired on 31 December 2015.
There is no change in DAS Phase IV deadline, which continues to be 31 December 2016.
With the dismissal of these petitions, the stay granted by various high courts in areas covered by the above-mentioned nine cases stands vacated and will no longer apply.
The Delhi High Court, dismissing these petitions, has also directed the petitioners to switch over to digital addressable systems within three weeks i.e. by 24 November 2016 and inform the subscribers by running a scroll on their networks about the digital switchover deadline
The high courts in various parts of the country had earlier granted stay in certain matters on DAS Phase III deadline. The stay orders had stalled the implementation of DAS Phase III in those areas. This prompted the MIB to move the Supreme Court to get all the cases transferred to the apex court.
The SC made Delhi High Court as the designated court for all cases related to DAS Phase III. The above-mentioned order of the Delhi High Court has removed the impediments in implementation of DAS in Phase – III areas.
The IBF has advised all its member-broadcasters to apprise all its affiliate multi-system operators (MSOs) and local cable operators about the said switchover deadline of 24 November 2016 in these Phase – III areas and make it clear that after the said date the channels can be received only through a digital set-top box. The subscribers in these areas are advised to immediately contact their respective local cable operators (LCOs)/MSOs to ensure the installation of STBs before the expiry of the above-mentioned deadline.
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.
