Cable TV
MSM Media Distribution is now Sony Pictures Networks Distribution India
MUMBAI: MSM Media Distribution (MSMMD), the distribution arm and wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) today has announced a change in its name and will now be called Sony Pictures Networks Distribution India Pvt. Ltd. The name change reflects SPN’s broader vision and is part of the alignment process to its parent company Sony Pictures Networks India.
The new name is effective immediately. The change in the distribution subsidiary’s name does not affect or impact its business with customers and stakeholders in any way.
With its core focus on distributing a wide array of world class television channels, spanning across different genres and languages through multiple content delivery platforms, Sony Pictures Networks Distribution Pvt. Ltd reaches out to over 120 million households in over 9000 towns in India. The company also distributes the TV Today Network channels India Today, Aaj Tak and Tez.
As a company that encourages growth, rewards excellence and celebrates the success of its employees, Sony Pictures Networks Distribution India Pvt. Ltd was adjudged as one of India’s Top 50 Best Companies to Work for in 2015, in a survey conducted by the Great Place To Work Institute.
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.
