Cable TV
TV blackout hits Karnataka as MSOs protest ‘double taxation’
BANGALORE: Karnataka’s Multi System Operators (MSOs), switched off cable television signals today from 5 pm in protest against what they term as the “arbitrary demand of double taxation by the government”, resulting in television blackout across the state.
MSOs said they had been served with “final assessment notice” by the Commercial Taxes Department (CTD) to pay entire tax liability since the year 2002 within a week’s time.
“This is practically next to impossible as MSOs have not collected the tax from the cable operators. The cable operators have been paying the department directly,” states an official release made available to the media this evening.
Meanwhile, a state government official indiantelevision.com contacted decried the MSOs’ move to effect a blackout. “Why have they taken this drastic action instead of contacting the finance department? As per my knowledge, the discussions between MSOs and the finance mister are still on,” the official said on condition of anonymity. Sindhia was unavailable for comment.
The media statement, signed by prominent MSOs such as Siti Cable, Hathway, Atria Convergence Technology, ICE Network and the state’s cable TV body the Karnataka Cable TV Chamber of Commerce, says the strike is more so required because the the CTD has been very aggressive in terms of seizing the bank accounts of one of the city’s MSOs which has virtually stopped its entire business operations.
The MSOs’ argument is that the government seems to have ignored the various memos submitted to the state finance minister PGR Sindhia and the CTD with suggestions to avoid double taxation which has jeopardised the business operations of MSOs who have already incurred huge losses due to pay channel commitments.
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.
