Cable TV
Destiny’s Child, Korn triumph at MTV Asia Awards
MUMBAI: The Siam Paragon venue in Bangkok was illuminated with international and Asian stars celebrating the fifth spectacular MTV Asia Awards 2006 on 6 May.
Destiny’s Child got the Special Achievement in Music Award. In a special presentation during the show, MTV Asia Awards host Kelly Rowland accepted the Award on behalf of Destiny’s Child. The award winners included Korn’s Twisted Transistor which won for Favourite Video.
The multi-platinum trio consisting of Rowland, Beyonce Knowles and Michelle Williams, Destiny’s Child were honoured for their contribution to the music world and their immeasurable impact on pop culture.
While Latin heart throb Ricky Martin was the viewers choice for Best Male Singer, the winner of the first edition of American Idol Kelly Clarkson was their choice for Favourite Female. The Backstreet Boys were voted the Favourite Pop act while Simon Webbe was the Favourite Breakthrough Artist.
The Asian winners included India’s Jal, Vicki Zhao from China, Twins from Hong Kong and Thai singer Tata Young. Winners were determined by MTV viewers throughout Asia, who voted via SMS and online.
The night started off with Korn performing their song Twisted Transistor. The 4,600 capacity-crowd were treated to a true blend of East and West throughout the night.
Host city Bangkok got a special treat as Thai hip-hop group Thaitanium jammed with Simon Webbe in a performance of No Worries and Webbe’s Blue bandmate Lee Ryan partnered with Young for their version of the classic ballad Endless Love.
Taiwanese favourite Jolin Tsai performed Dancing Diva. Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Powter got behind the piano and sang his hit Bad Day. The night ended with Korea’s Kangta joining forces with Taiwan’s Vanness Wu for a duet performance of 2nd Scandal.
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.
