Cable TV
TRAI to hold MSO-MCOF meet in Mumbai
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) that had recently approached the Bombay High Court challenging the payment of entertainment tax, billing and the carriage fee has now approached the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to seek answers on the constitution of revenue share.
“While the TRAI says that there should be a revenue share between the multi system operators (MSOs) and last mile owners (LMOs) on the subscription fee the LMO collects from the consumer, is that the only revenue in this cable TV universe?” questions MCOF president Arvind Prabhoo.
According to Prabhoo, there should be clear definition of constitutes revenue. “Apart from subscription revenue, there is carriage fee revenue, advertising revenue and even activation revenue. So why it that these revenues are not shared amongst all the stakeholders of the cable TV system?” he asks.
“Who decides what revenue is?” questions Prabhoo.
With regards to this, a meeting has been called between the MSOs and MCOF by TRAI. “I had met N Parameswaran earlier this month and had discussed these issues with him. With regards to this, TRAI has decided to hold a meeting in Mumbai between MCOF and MSOs,” informs Prabhoo.
When Indiantelevision.com contacted TRAI principal advisor N Parameswaran he confirmed the meeting, but said that no particular date was yet decided. “We will be holding a meeting between the two in order to address issues of billing,” concludes Parameswaran.
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.
