Cable TV
Martha Stewart’s reality show kicks off in September
MUMBAI: At an upfront presentation made a few days ago in New York, executives from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSO) announced that the first production between Martha Stewart and reality TV guru Mark Burnett will be titled Martha.
It will air from September 2005.
As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com the show has been cleared by NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution in over 90 Per cent of the US and sold in all top 20 US television markets and 50 of the top 50.
MSO president aand CEO Susan Lynne said, “This is our most ambitious television project to date and we are thrilled with the enthusiastic response from both the advertiser and affiliate community. “No other new daytime show has the bench of resources, breadth of talent and audience awareness. That very passionate connection consumers have with Martha and our lifestyle brand is what distinguishes us as a company. When combined with the cross-platform opportunities we offer, we’re confident that Martha will be a draw for advertisers this fall.”
Stewart said, “I have always been proud of our ‘how-to’ television programming — it has always been informative, inspiring, well researched, beautifully presented and extremely trustworthy.
These elements have consistently engaged and helped our viewers and our goal with this series is to raise the bar even higher. We will still mentor and teach and put strong emphasis on valuable information, but we are excited
about taking a new approach with this series by including a live, participatory audience and guests who will surprise us with their homemaking skills.”
At the upfront presentation US advertisers were introduced to the series’Emmy-winning co-executive producer Rob Dauber, whose credits include The Rosie O’Donnell Show. Dauber explained that Martha’s mostly live format and casual, yet classically styled set will allow Martha to interact with her audience, which will appeal to her loyal fan base while introducing her to new viewers.
The set will feature a kitchen island within a versatile swing-set for home segments such as cooking, gardening and crafts. Martha
will combine entertaining field pieces, in-studio segments featuring celebrity guests and human interest segments where Martha can connect with people. The hour-long series will be taped in front of a studio audience at Chelsea Television Studios in New York City.
Upfront attendees were also treated to a preview of a segment in which Martha visits a viewer at her home and helps get dinner on the table. Dauber says, “What will define this show is interactive and informative entertainment. We deliver interesting lifestyle information in a way that is fun, engaging and entertaining. Don’t be surprised to see Martha cooking up a storm
with a member of her studio audience or working the local hamburger or hotdog stand.
” We hope that by allowing Martha to participate with her fans in a bigger way viewers will find even more reasons to tune into the series.”
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.
