Cable TV
Scientific-Atlanta, Pioneer win Gemstar suit
ATLANTA: Cable set-top box maker Scientific-Atlanta announced that the US International Trade Commission has ruled in its favour in a suit by Gemstar-TV Guide International brought against it, Pioneer Corporation and related entities, EchoStar Communications and SCI Systems.
Gemstar had sued the two companies alleging that their set-top boxes infringed on Gemstar’s patents for interactive programming guides for television. In his initial deposition Judge Luckern found that the respondents do not infringe Gemstar’s patents and that one of Gemstar’s patents was unenforceable for failure to name a co-inventor. Judge Luckern also found that Gemstar had engaged in patent misuse, a company release states.
In its decision, the ITC determined not to review any issues regarding patent infringement or co-inventorship. By declining to review those issues, the ITC adopts the findings of the Initial Determination that S-A’s products do not infringe the patents in issue. The ITC determined to take no position on the issue of Gemstar’s patent misuse. In light of these determinations, the Commission has concluded that there is no violation of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by Scientific-Atlanta, the release says.
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.
