Cable TV
DEN, Hathway and InCable get interim relief on ent tax
MUMBAI: The big four of Indian cable TV – DEN Networks, Hathway Cable and Datacom, InCable and Siti Cable – heaved a sigh of relief as 21 January ended. The reason: the Delhi High Court – which was hearing their appeal seeking to restrain the state government’s entertainment tax authorities from taking any coercive action against them for not paying entertainment tax – gave them relief, if at least for some time. The HC passed an interim order, forbidding the tax folks from taking any steps against three of the MSOs – Den, Hathway and InCable.
The cases that were heard in one day saw the appeals of DEN and Hathway being joined together while InCable and Siti Cable presented its case separately. With the order coming into effect, MSOs have been relieved of the duty of collecting entertainment tax from the LCOs and submitting it to the government till the judgment on the case is passed. The next hearing will be on 13 March.
The respondent (the entertainment tax collection authorities) have been given four weeks to file its reply to the case. In the meanwhile, its hands are tied. However, what was not clear at the time of writing whether the onus is back on the LCOs to pay the tax to the government.
Although the MSOs are receiving the tax from LCOs, they claim they aren’t getting the full amount. Hence, the balance amount normally has to be coughed up by the MSO whether it is paid the same or not by the LCO. This is pretty unfair, they have stated.
The MSOs approached the Delhi HC as the inexplicable pressure was being thrust on them to cough up taxes.
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.
