Cable TV
Sidhu’s cable, DTH tax plan gets Punjab cabinet nod
MUMBAI: Entertainment lately seems to be affected the most with one tax after another — the GST and tax on watching television programmes. Now, in a ‘blow’ to local cable network companies, entertainment tax will be levied on DTH and cable connections in Punjab. DTH operators however will now have a level playing field with the cable networks.
State local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu told the cabinet that the nominal tax would ensure accountability on the part of cable operators.
After the introduction of GST from 1 July, 2017, the tax levied by the state government had been withdrawn. The state cabinet has however approved levying of the tax through panchayats and municipalities through an amendment proposed in the next session of the Vidhan Sabha where it has the two-thirds majority, PTI reported.
No entertainment tax, however, has been proposed for cinemas, multiplexes and amusement parks.
The urban and rural bodies will now be allowed to impose and collect a nominal tax of Rs 5 per DTH connection and Rs 2 per local cable connection per month with the enactment of ‘The Punjab Entertainments & Amusements Taxes (Levy & Collection by Local Bodies) Bill 2017.’
With around 44 lakh cable connections and 16 lakh DTH in Punjab, the bodies are expected to collect Rs 450-470 million (approximately Rs 369 million and Rs 96 million, respectively).
Sidhu had been alleging tax evasions by Fastway Network, a company linked to the previous dispensation. In August, the minister had urged the CM’s office to take a call on the recovery of allegedly evaded tax of Rs 200 billion from Fastway.
Also Read:
Probe Punjab ‘cable mafia,’ demands minister, Fastway refutes charges
Punjab Govt falters in first leg of breaking cable monopoly
Punjab govt. studying Arasu & other regulatory models on distribution
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.
