Cable TV
Hathway CCN to launch 48 HD channels in Chhattisgarh
MUMBAI: Hathway CCN will be setting up a digital head-end in the state of Chhattisgarh and becoming one of the first MSOs in the country to launch and offer 48 HD channels to digital cable subscribers across the entire state.
Hathway CCN, which has major, dominant operations across Chhattisgarh, will be offering a wide array of digital services and channels through the new head-end which would provide high-quality and best in class experience to its cable subscribers.
Speaking on the launch of the new digital head-end, Hathway CCN director Abhishek Agrawal said, “This is the first amongst the many digital head-ends which will be installed across Chhattisgarh and the re-distribution of 48 HD channels is yet another progressive step taken by us to express our commitment and dedication to offering the best entertainment to our consumers. As an organization, we are continuously working and reinventing our services to match the growing demands of our subscribers.”
At a time, when MSOs across the country are working aggressively towards completion of the digitization mandates, such initiatives are a welcome move across stakeholders, subscribers, LCOs, broadcasters and will strengthen and boost consumer confidence as they seek cutting-edge entertainment experience from digital cable.
Agrawal further added, “We understand the dynamics of committing to such services, especially, when we serve multiple locations from one head-end, but this is the need of the hour to remain competitive and grow. Next in line, would be our value added and high speed broadband services which will provide a potent combination of entertainment services to our consumers.”
As the cable industry moves towards the end of the digitization phase, providing strong, digital quality entertainment to subscribers would be the big move that will make the industry take the next leap.
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.
