Cable TV
Silverline Television Network to seed 25 lakh DEN STBs in WB
KOLKATA: West Bengal is embracing the digitisation process open heartedly. So while earlier the MSOs from the state got together to speed up the gross billing in the city, now Silverline Television Network (STN), which distributes the services of DEN Cable TV in West Bengal, plans to seed close to 25 lakh set top boxes (STBs) in the state by December, 2014 in Digital Addressable System (DAS) phase III and IV areas.
Silverline Television Network, a joint venture between DEN (51 per cent) and Silverline Broadband Services (49 per cent) was formed in 2011. STN has already installed four lakh STBs in the state in DAS Phase I and II with an investment of 150 crore. For the next installment, it has earmarked an investment of Rs 300 crore, which alongside the cost of the STBs, will also be used in increasing its network and fibre connectivity in the state.
“We have seeded 3.60 lakh STBs in the Kolkata Municipal Area area and another 40,000 in the rest of West Bengal including 24 North Parganas and Hooghly. In phase III and IV of digitisation, we plan to install approximately 25 lakh more set top boxes in the state. By December 2014, we want to reach the target of 30 lakh STB,” remarked STN director Apurba Banerjee optimistically as he spoke about strengthening its presence within the state. “Our connectivity has already reached Siliguri, Bankura, Raichak, Bangaon and a part of Diamond Harbour,” he added.
The company has one digital headend at present and offers 280 channels. When quizzed about the most popular package in phase I area, that is the KMC area, he said, the monthly subscription available at Rs 180 was quite popular initially. However, since TEN Sports wasn’t available in that, many switched to the Rs 230 monthly package.
The cable TV analysts say the Phase III and IV of DAS is going to be smoother and easier as consumers in smaller towns have already started enquiring about the STB. “Going forward, it will be a smooth journey for DEN to install 30 lakh STBs in West Bengal,” remarks an analyst.
DEN, a cable TV distribution company, reaches an estimated 13 million households in over 200 cities across 13 key states in India, like in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand among other markets. DEN Networks has seeded around 5 million set top boxes.
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.
