Cable TV
TDSAT prohibits Scod18 from relaying IndiaCast channels
MUMBAI: Scod18 Networking Pvt Ltd (Scod18), a multi-system operator (MSO), has been restrained by the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) from taking signals of IndiaCast Media Distribution Pvt Ltd’s (IndiaCast) channels from any other operator.
The TDSAT has further ordered that the MSO cannot alienate or deal with its movable and immovable properties without the prior permission of the tribunal. The distribution company has also sought recovery of dues from Scod18 to the tune of Rs 2 crore.
Accepting IndiaCast’s plea, the tribunal passed an order stating, “Pass an ad-interim ex parte order restraining the respondent from receiving signals of broadcaster’s channels from any other operator or service provider transferring or alienating or dealing with its movable and immovable properties without the prior permission of this tribunal.”
IndiaCast has disconnected the signals of its channels to the MSO and it understands that the MSO might take signals of its channels from other platforms. Therefore, the company has taken a legal cover to restrain the MSO from indulging in piracy.
The interim order will be applicable till the next date of hearing, which is 8 May. IndiaCast is the content monetisation arm of the TV18 and Viacom18 network. IndiaCast has a bouquet of 51 channels, including nine in HD spanning across genres—general entertainment, kids, news, music, infotainment, and movies—in India.
IndiaCast had pressed for an interim relief but the TDSAT stated that the same will be considered after giving an opportunity of filing a reply to the MSO.
Scod18 has been granted four weeks’ time for its reply. The rejoinder, if any, may be filed within one week thereafter.
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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.
