Cable TV
IMCL launches innovative packages for subscribers to stay connected
MUMBAI: IndusInd Media and Communications Ltd (IMCL), the media vertical of the global Hinduja Group, has implemented a slew of innovative products and solutions to help its Local Cable Operators (LCOs) and its millions of subscribers across India to ensure access to quality content amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
IMCL – which owns a digital cable platform (InDigital) and the only HITS platform (NXTDIGITAL) in the country – has rolled out a significantly low-cost package for subscribers called the Vishesh Manoranjan Pack.
This pack, which gives subscribers access to over 400 television channels, includes the popular NXT Value Added Services package, comprising up to 20 unique channels for its subscribers. The package can be activated immediately and LCOs can make the payment till16 April 2020. The credit period effectively allows for LCOs to collect the payment after the lockdown is lifted.
Further, to ensure uninterrupted dissemination of critical information during this challenging period, IMCL has worked with its LCO partners to activate its special InfoPack, at zero cost for customers who are unable to make any payment. This will enable subscribers to stay connected with all Doordarshan channels, including news and entertainment.
These packages come close on the heels of a slew of initiatives taken by IMCL to ensure safety of its LCOs and subscribers. IMCL has provided critical awareness and education through its national network of LCOs, multiple platforms and portals – in 11 languages, through posters, pamphlets, e-books and video messaging. To help subscribers remain connected, IMCL has extended its online recharge facility through Easebuzz, where subscribers can make their payment directly to their LCOs online, thereby eliminating any level of interaction.
IMCL CEO Vynsley Fernandes said: “We remain committed towards the well-being of our LCO partners and subscribers. At the time of a global crisis, our endeavour is to consistently create awareness and the dissemination of critical information, to ensure the safety and protection of all our stakeholders. These packages, especially our InfoPack at zero cost, are in line with that philosophy.”
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.
