Cable TV
Karnataka cable operators vote to ban Udaya channels
BANGALORE: The decision by the Sun Network to turn four of its local channels — three Kannada and one Telugu — into pay channels from 1 August is threatening to snowball into a major confrontation with the southern state’s cable operators.
Sun Network’s market leader Udaya TV, along with Udaya News and Ushe, became dearer by Rs 18 as of yesterday. Udaya TV became encrypted from 1 August while the other two channels were already running as encrypted feeds.
A state level meeting organized yesterday by the Karnataka State Cable Operators Welfare Association at Kumte (Shimoga) and attended by cable operators from all districts across Karnataka, passed two key resolutions — the first to ban Udaya channels across the entire state unless they were made free to air again, and the second was to strongly oppose conversion of any popular regional or any other free to air to a pay mode channel unless addressability via conditional access system (CAS) is implemented throughout the state.
As already reported by indiantelevision.com earlier, the Cable TV Operators’ Associations of Hassan, Chikamagalur and Shimoga districts have decided to ban all Udaya channels in protest against the decision of converting Udaya into a pay channel. They claim that it is a gross injustice to the Kannada-speaking people and to Kannada culture.
“This is just a ploy to extract more money from us”, says a subscriber. “When they come for collecting subscription, they’ll make us pay more if we want to watch the Udaya channels.”
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.
