Cable TV
JAINHITS welcomes TRAI’s new tariff order for commercial subscribers
MUMBAI: Headend in the Sky (HITS) player JAINHITS has welcomed Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) newly announced tariff order pertaining to commercial subscribers, subscribing to cable TV services in the country.
As per the new order, commercial establishments who do not specifically charge its clients/ guests on account of providing TV programmes and offer them as part of amenities are to be treated like ordinary subscribers, wherein charges would be on per TV basis. In cases where commercial establishments specifically charge its clients/ guests on account of providing TV programmes, the tariff would be as mutually agreed between the broadcaster and the establishment.
“NSTPL during its response to TRAI Consultation Paper also supported that rates charged from hotels etc. should be on per TV basis. We at NSTPL fully support TRAI’s announcement, as this in a sense means that rates charged from commercial establishments/ hotels etc. for their lounges/ rooms shall be same as far as a normal subscriber till such time they offer it as basic amenities. It is aimed to streamline the distribution of TV services to commercial subscribers at competitive rates, and improve the availability of content for TV viewership in hotels etc,” said Noida Software Technology Park (NSTPL) head-regulatory and corporate affairs Devinder Singh.
He added, “TRAI has clearly mentioned that in all the cases, commercial subscriber has to obtain television services only from a distribution platform operator (MSO/ DTH operator/ IPTV operator/ HITS operator/ Cable Operator). And JAINHITS is fully capable to meet the needs of the large establishments besides home consumers due to its ubiquitous reach across India. We have the ability to provide broadcast services to hotels and commercial establishments with a varied mix of content in regional, Hindi and English language across the country.”
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.
