Cable TV
DEN to put Star channels on a la carte from November
MUMBAI: It was first Hathway Cable & Datacom that complied with the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal’s (TDSAT) order of putting Star India channels on a la carte, and now following it is multi system operator (MSO) DEN Networks.
The MSO has, through a newspaper advertisement, informed its consumers that the Star channels will be removed from the packages and will be offered to subscribers on a-la-carte basis only. “The industry is moving towards a-la-carte channels and so are we. As per the regulation, we have to inform our consumers 15 days in advance before switching off a channel and putting it on a-la-carte. This is what we are doing,” says a source from the company.
The advertisements have been issued in two newspapers in the DAS notified areas. The ad reads: “The Hon’ble TDSAT has upheld the affidavit by Star India Pvt Ltd and has allowed Star TV to offer its channels to us only on a-la-carte basis. In compliance to this order of the Tribunal and as per Star’s demand, we are being forced to remove the Star channels from our packages and offer them to subscribers only on a-la-carte basis and consequently all our packages are being changed.”
The ad further says: “We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to our esteemed viewers and solicit your co-operation for due legal compliance. Please contact your local cable operator for your revised package details as well as to continue availing the Star channels of your choice on a-la-carte basis.”
While Den has started informing the consumers with newspaper advertisements, it will also run TV scrolls to inform the subscribers of the changes in the packaging.
The Star channels will be switched off from first week of November, post which Den subscribers will have to call the cable operator to be able to view the Star channels.
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.
