Cable TV
Govt directs cable ops to furnish TV channel details
NEW DELHI: With an eye on future media regulations, the government has asked MSOs and cable operators to furnish the details of TV channels they re-transmit on their networks, including local cable-delivered video channels.
In a letter to MSOs and to Cable Operators’ Federation of India, dated 26 June 2006, the information and broadcasting ministry has said that the government is developing a centralised data bank of all TV channels, including video channels, for monitoring purpose and, hence details would be needed for the same.
This step has been taken, explained a ministry official, to effectively monitor even local video channels run by cable operators where news, along with entertainment, form part of the programming line up.
The detail sought by the government is over and above the registration process of TV channels initiated under the downlinking guidelines where all satellite channels would have to obtain landing rights from designated authorities.
On last count, 65-odd TV channels had applied for landing rights in a country that boasted of over 300 channels being accessible to subscribers of cable TV and DTH.
Some cable operators, however, feel that the latest initiative would increase paperwork and is an attempt by the government to crack down on local video channels, which also air music videos some of that have run into problems with the authorities when aired on music channels.
The government official played down the directive to MSOs and cable ops, saying it was a “routine matter.”
In a draft broadcast bill, the government has proposed that all cable operators would have to register themselves with the government and/or the regulatory body to run cable networks and adhere to certain other criteria.
Presently, a person just needs to register with the local post office to start a cable network after paying a nominal amount of money wherein things like quality of service and after sales service to subscribers are not given much importance.
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.
