Cable TV
Hathway, DEN, Siti reveal packs under new TRAI tariff order
MUMBAI: Major DTH players and MSOs have started updating new channel and package pricing as per the new TRAI tariff order. Soon after major broadcasters announced new rates, DPOs are taking swift action making it easier for consumers to choose their desired channels. Last month, TRAI gave an additional one month for the implementation of the new regime to make the transition of consumers smoother.
Essel group promoted Siti Networks has revealed five suggestive packs ranging from Rs 52.5 to Rs 166 excluding GST. The number of channels also varies in the suggestive packs. While the first one has 18 channels, the highest number of channels i.e 49, is available on the fifth pay pack.
Another national MSO Den Networks has revealed over 10 suggestive packs leaving more options from consumers. The prices of the packages range from Rs 199 to Rs 500 inclusive of taxes. DEN Intro Pack priced Rs 199 mostly comprises free to air (FTA) channels barring a few pay channels in the news and infotainment space while DEN Titanium Pack priced at Rs 500 offers a large number of channels across genres.
Leading MSO Hathway Cable and Datacom has also updated several new packs including the base pack containing 100 FTA channels along with regional add-ons and genre add-ons. Moreover, Hathway has created different packages for different markets like Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Hindi speaking markets. Both the Prime and Royal packs offered by the operator include major channels from all the genres while the Royal packs leave much more option.
Two DTH players i.e., Dish TV and Airtel Digital TV, have published the prices of individual channels. However, along with segregating the available channels on its network on the basis of genres, Dish TV has highlighted different packs from broadcasters in another list. Airtel Digital TV has only provided the pricing of the individual channels on its website. The DTH operator is offering no discount on the price which is offered by the broadcasters and just passing on the channels by adding tax to the same pricing.
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.
