Cable TV
Hathway reports improved numbers
BENGALURU: The demerged Hathway Cable and Datacom Ltd (Hathway) reported standalone profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 12.62 crore (8.7 per cent of operating revenue) for the quarter ended 31 March 2018 (Q4 2018, quarter under review), 47.1 per cent lower as compared PAT of Rs 23.87 crore (17.2 per cent of operating revenue) in the immediate trailing quarter Q3 2018 (q-o-q). It may be noted that Hathway’s numbers for Q4 2017 include both cable television and broadband numbers and hence cannot be compared with Q4 2018 revenues that include only broadband revenue. Hence, Hathway’s numbers for the quarter under review have been compared to its numbers from the immediate trailing quarter Q3 2018 (quarter ended 31 December 2017). As a matter of fact, after the transfer of the Hathway’s cable television business as a slump sale since Q1 2018, the company has reported standalone profits after tax for each quarter as well as for fiscal 2018.
Hathway’s standalone total revenue of Rs 149.24 for Q4 2018 was 5.1 per cent more q-o-q then Rs 144.53 crore for Q3-2081. Revenue from operations in Q4 2018 was 5.1 per cent higher q-o-q at Rs 145.74 crore than Rs 138.65 crore.
Hathway’s total comprehensible income (TCI) for the quarter under review was 43.9 per cent lower q-o-q at 13.47 crore than Rs 24.01 crore. Simple operating EBITDA for Q4 2018 at 59.04 crore (40.5 per cent of operating revenue) was 1.7 per cent lower q-o-q than Rs 60.6 crore (43.3 per cent of operating revenue).
Hathway’s total expenditure in the quarter under review increased 12.4 per cent q-o-q to Rs 135.70 crore from Rs 120.70 crore. Finance costs in Q4 2018 increased 17.1 per cent q-o-q to Rs 23.37 crore from Rs 17.54 crore. Employee Benefits Expense in Q4 2018 reduced 1.7 per cent q-o-q to Rs 11.14 crore from Rs 11.33 crore. Other expenses in the quarter increased 26.6 per cent q-o-q to Rs 43.32 crore from Rs 34.20 crore. Other operational costs reduced 2.5 per cent q-o-q in Q4 2018 to Rs 32.25 crore from Rs 33.06 crore in Q3 2018.
Hathway’s standalone numbers for FY 2018
Hathway’s standalone operating revenue or broadband revenue for the year ended 31 March 2018 (year under review, FY 2018) was Rs 544.54 crore. Standalone total revenue for FY 2018 was Rs 556.51 crore. The company reported standalone TCI of Rs 78.92 crore. Standalone PAT for 2018 was Rs 77.66 (14.3 per cent of operating revenue). Total expenditure for the year under review was Rs 495.06 crore.
Hathway’s consolidated numbers for FY 2018
Hathway reported consolidated total revenue of Rs 1,544.33 crore for the year ended 31 March 2018 (year or fiscal under review, FY 2018) was 12.9 per cent more than Rs 1,368.25 crore in FY 2017. Revenue from operations including other operating revenue in FY 2018 was 14.1 per cent higher in FY 2018 at Rs 1,534.62 crore than Rs 1,344.40 crore in the previous year. The company reported a lower total comprehensible loss (TCL) of Rs 105.21 crore for FY 2018 as compared to TCL of Rs 193.19 crore for FY 2017. Net loss for the year under review was also lower at Rs 108.30 crore as compared to Rs 193.79 crore in FY 2017.
Consolidated total expenditure for FY 2018 at Rs 1,686.45 crore was 7.8 per cent higher than Rs 1,564.17 crore in FY 2017. Consolidated pay channel cost during the year under review was 20.7 per cent higher at Rs 569.35 crore as compared to Rs 471.69 crore in FY 2017. Consolidated other operating costs in FY 2018 were 2.9 per cent higher at Rs 263.90 crore as compared to Rs 256.47 crore in FY 2017. Consolidated employee benefits expense during the period under review reduced 17.3 per cent to Rs 76.99 crore from Rs 93.15 crore in the previous year. Consolidated finance cost in FY 2018 was 37.9 per cent higher at Rs 152.76 crore as compared to Rs 110.75 crore in the previous fiscal. Consolidated other expenses reduced 11.5 per cent in FY 2018 to Rs 288.75 crore from Rs 326.26 crore in FY 2017.
Hathway’s consolidated numbers include revenue from two segments – broadband business and cable TV. The standalone numbers mentioned above were for Hathway’s broadband business. Cable television revenue for FY 2017 was Rs 990.08 crore and an operating loss of Rs 129.33 crore.
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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.
