Cable TV
Fortune Star launches web/wireless reality show ‘The Heyman Hustle’ at Mipcom 2006
MUMBAI: Fortune Star Entertainment Ltd (Fortune Star) will launch at Mipcom 2006 The Heyman Hustle, a web/wireless reality series hosted by Paul Heyman.
The reality series, featuring provocative content for the exploding new media platforms, is created by Paul Heyman, the architect of the edgy Extreme Wrestling phenomenon in the 1990s, and produced by Park Avenue production house, HQ Productions, Inc. Fortune Star is the exclusive worldwide distributor of The Heyman Hustle, informs an official release.
“Both traditional and new media expanded their reach by tapping into the worldwide mobile culture,” said Heyman, “Whether people are out at dinner, on the beach, or in their car, their cell phone, Blackberry, Trio, iPod, or broadband unit has become more than an accessory, it’s a necessity. The wireless/web based platform has now become the most powerful way for me to reach audiences.”
“From Bombay to the Bronx, if you walk the streets with Paul, people open up and embrace him as one of their own. Paul’s bombastic on-air personality is matched only by his innovations and revolutionary entertainment concepts,” Fortune Star’s GM, Peter E. Poon, added, “Which is why we are so excited to package Paul together with Mitchell Stuart, whose work at HQ Productions has led to broadband’s most successful music series.”
The Heyman Hustle will be a weekly program customised for both the web and mobile experiences. The series will be available in 10-minute webcast and one-minute mobicast formats with features including ringtones, wallpapers and java games, adds the release.
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.
