Cable TV
Reliance Jio awaits security clearance for pan India MSO licence
NEW DELHI: Despite announcements by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry about expediting clearances, several proposals by private multi-system operators have remained pending for long periods either with the I&B or the Home Ministry.
However, I&B secretary Bimal Julka told Indiantelevision.com today that a letter had been sent to the Home Ministry to expedite security clearances, so that the DAS targets could be met.
The Ministry said a proposal by Reliance Jio for registration as a multi-system operator (MSO) under the digital addressable system was sent to the Home Ministry on 2 Feburary for security clearance.
The representative of Reliance Jio, Abhishek Soni, was told that the Home Ministry will take some time to furnish comments/security clearance.
CAT Vision, during a recently held open house meeting, was told that a reminder was being sent to the Home Ministry in its case. Signum Digital Network was also given the same assurance.
Digirevo Networks received a similar response to its query at the open house meeting.
Indiverse Broadband was told that its request for foreign direct investment (FDI) had been turned down by the Finance Ministry. Its representative said the company had already informed the I&B Ministry in June last year that it no longer needed FDI. However, it was informed by the Ministry officials that no such response had been received from the company.
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.
