Cable TV
Don’t place a TV channel under multiple genres, TRAI warns MSOs
NEW DELHI: Coming down heavily on the practice of listing television channels under multiple genres (LCN), the Telecom Regulatory Authority today told multisystem operators to strictly comply with the regulatory framework in letter and spirit.
The regulator warned MSOs that action would be taken against MSOs under the TRAI Act if they failed to comply with the regulations in this regard.
TRAI said that the MSOs have been mandated to create genres in the electronic programme guide (EPG) and to place the channels in the genres as directed by the broadcaster.
The press note said this makes it easier for the subscriber to find the channel of his or her choice and is therefore consumer friendly.
At the outset, the regulator said it had taken several measures from time to time to protect the interests of consumers as well as service providers of the broadcasting and cable services sector. For providing a level playing field to service providers and to ensure orderly growth of the sector, the Authority issues regulations, orders and directions from time to time.
For the cable TV service provided through digital addressable systems, the technology provides for a ‘Electronic Programme Guide (EPG)” wherein the channels being carried on the operator’s network can be arranged and indexed in a simple. easy to understand manner so that the consumer can easily go through this guide and select the channel of his choice instead of flipping through a ll the channels. This display of channels in EPG can be genre-wise where all the channels of a particular genre are listed under that genre.
The extant regulatory framework provides that every broadcaster is required to declare the genre of its channel and such genre shall be either ‘News and Current Affairs’ or ‘Infotainment’ or ‘Sports’ or ‘Kids’ or ‘Music’ or ‘Lifestyle’ or ‘Movies’ or ‘Religious or Devotional’ or ·General Entertainment (Hindi)’ or ‘General Entertainment (English)’ or ‘General Enter1ainment (regional language)’. The MSOs carrying a channel on its network, has been mandated to place that channel in the genre so declared by the broadcaster of that channel. The MSO is required to ensure that a ll the channels falling in a particular genre appear in its network’s EPG under that genre.
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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.
