Cable TV
Telstra, Microsoft, Broadcast Australia plan live mobile TV demonstration
MUMBAI: Telstra, Microsoft and Broadcast Australia have announced plans for Melbourne’s first live demonstration showcase of mobile TV as part of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
This announcement follows the recent launch of Telstra’s live Big Pond mobile 3G and broadband service for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.
The demonstration will use Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld (DVB-H) technology, which allows simultaneous transmission of television, radio, video, audio and internet content to mobile phones, PDAs, PCs and other handheld devices.
The Melbourne showcase service will broadcast up to seven channels of live Commonwealth Games coverage, including Channel Nine coverage of the games on specially enabled Windows Mobile handheld devices. The handsets will operate using Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 software, and the content will be broadcast using Windows Media Video 9 compression technology to ensure efficient use of bandwidth. Broadcast Australia will provide the transmission infrastructure for the showcase service.
Telstra Commonwealth Games executive Phill Sporton said viewers would be able to catch medal-winning performances in the DVB-H showcase at the Telstra Discovery Centre in Birrarung Marr for the duration of the Games. “Telstra is pleased to be able to provide an opportunity for our customers and partners to experience the new entertainment content available on mobile devices of the future,” said Sporton.
The transmission of the DVB-H broadcast will begin on 15 March and end at the conclusion of the closing ceremony on 26 March.
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.
