Cable TV
S.N. Sharma quits Reliance
MUMBAI: Cable distribution veteran SN Sharma has quit Reliance Jio, a subsidiary of Mukesh Ambani promoted Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).
Sources in RIL confirmed that Sharma has put in his papers last week.
Sharma had joined RIL’s media-cum-telecom venture Reliance Jio in 2015 and was brought on board to lead the cable distribution business of the organisation.
RIL, which through a subsidiary company has a licence to operate as an MSO, had also brought in former Hathway Datacom chief executive K. Jayaraman to head its distribution business and Sharma reported into him.
As part of Reliance Jio, Sharma and Jayaraman were entrusted to build a business plan for distribution of TV channels owned by Reliance that were managed under Network18 Media and Investments Ltd.
With an experience of more than 20 years in electronic media and cable distribution, Sharma is credited with playing a crucial role in building thw Sameer Manchanda-promoted Den Networks and Rahejas-owned Hathway.
RIL, which owns and controls the Network18 group that operates a clutch of TV channels, has widespread interest in media, telecom, petroleum and energy sectors.
Through its subsidiary TV18 Broadcast Limited, the group operates news channels CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC Bajar, CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, CNN-News18, IBN7, ETV channels, IBN-Lokmat (a Marathi regional news channel in partnership with the Lokmat group), apart from the newly-launched FYI TV18.
TV18 also operates a joint venture with Viacom, called Viacom18, which houses a portfolio of popular entertainment channels like Colors, Colors HD, Colors Infinity, Rishtey, MTV India, MTV Indies, Comedy Central, Vh1, Nick, Sonic, Nick Jr, Teen Nick and Viacom18 Motion Pictures.
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.
