Cable TV
DAS IV deadline sacrosanct; MIB holds digitization workshop in Manipur
MUMBAI: Many in the cable TV industry have been complaining that the Narendra Modi-led government has the put cable TV digitization agenda on the backburner. That no one seems to be taking the DAS phase IV digitsation deadline of 31 December 2016 seriously.
But the facts seem to be otherwise. The ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) is definitely sticking to that deadline. It has been holding workshops to facilitate the understanding of nodal officers of different states about cable TV digitization.
One such workshop was held on 20 July in Hotel Classic Grande Chingmeirong Imphal, Manipur Manipur is part of the states listed under Phase IV of the phased digitization rollout plan announced by the government. The dateline for Phase I was 31 October 2012, phase II was 31 March 2013, and phase III was 31 December 2015.
Hosted by MIB advisor Yogendra Pal, it helped the attendees from Manipur and Nagaland understand the various provisions of the Cable Television Networks Regulations Act, the government mandate on digitization of the various phases. And finally its benefits.
The MIB has also told its nodal officers in the north eastern states to act against unauthorized and illegal cable TV operators in the region and issue penalties on them if they continue their operations without getting their operations legalized.
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.
