Cable TV
Four MSOs levied penalty for non-payment of entertainment tax
NEW DELHI: Even as Siti Cable ‘vehemently’ denied any allegation of tax evasion as alleged by the Delhi Government, similar notices were issued to three other major multi-system operators (MSOs) for paying Rs 243.77 crore as dues, due to a default in payment of entertainment tax.
While there was no official word from either IndusInd Media and Communications or Hathway Cable and Datacom, a source from Den Networks informed Indiantelevision.com that the action by the Delhi Government was a violation of a commitment given by it to the Delhi High Court that no coercive action would be taken during the pendency of a case challenging the levy of entertainment tax and vires of the Delhi Entertainment and Betting Tax Act 1996.
The source also added that an appropriate reply would be given both to the Delhi Government and in the High Court, but said no notice had been received so far and the MSO had learnt about it only from a newspaper report.
Siti Cable, which had received a similar notice for Rs 33.12 crore, had said in an official statement, that it had been depositing the entertainment tax regularly on the basis of collections. The MSO had “vehemently’ denied the allegation of tax evasion.
The matter is pending vide its Writ Petition of 2014, Siti Cable had earlier said.
According to reports, the charges levied on the four MSOs include a 100 per cent penalty and an interest on dues.
The levy is for 2013-14 and 2014-15. Den Networks has to pay just over Rs 88.81 crore, while Hathway Cable and Datacom need to pay around Rs 59 crore, IndusInd Media and Communications has been asked to pay just under Rs 52 crore for two years.
While noting that these MSOs need to file their tax every month, a Delhi Government source said that Den, Hathway and IndudsInd had between them around 2.6 million subscribers in the capital.
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.
