Cable TV
Turner launches HBO Defined & HBO Hits on Hathway & GTPL
MUMBAI: Turner International India has announced the launch of HBO Defined and HBO Hits on two of the country’s leading digital cable platforms, Hathway and GTPL. With this HBO’s two premium advertising-free movie channels will be available to digital cable subscribers for the first time.
The channels are available for a free preview in the initial phase of the launch. Turner International, the distributor for HBO Defined and HBO Hits will soon have the channels available on other digital cable platforms as well.
“With the successful on-going digitisation of the Indian television industry, Turner is committed to continue bringing compelling content inside homes of consumers in India and on any device they own. HBO Defined and HBO Hits signify a new era of television viewing for the Indian consumer. We have received a very enthusiastic response from all platforms and are happy to have, Hathway and GTPL, two of the leading cable platforms partner with us,” said Turner International India MD Siddharth Jain.
“The launch of HBO Hits and HBO Defined on our digital platforms is a reinforcement of our belief in the power of compelling content which can drive customer value and realisations. Hathway and GTPL have a foot-print of more than seven million addressable customers. We are delighted to partner with Turner in our on-going endeavour of delivering premium services to our discerning customers” said Hathway Cable and Datacom CEO & MD Jagdish Kumar.
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.
