Cable TV
Viacom to sell Paramount Pictures’ DreamWorks film library for $900 million
MUMBAI: Soros Strategic Partners LP and Dune Entertainment II LLC, an affiliate of Dune Capital Management LP, have signed a definitive agreement with Viacom Inc. to purchase the film library of Paramount Pictures’ DreamWorks LLC for $900 million.
The library sale, subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in April. The transaction completes the second stage of the DreamWorks acquisition. After the conversion of certain commercial agreements from debt to advances, Viacom expects a net purchase price for DreamWorks of approximately $600 million.
Under the terms of the library transaction Soros and Dune will acquire all 59 DreamWorks live action films released through 15 September 2005. Soros will enter into an exclusive five-year agreement with Paramount to distribute the library.
Viacom will retain ownership of music publishing and certain other ancillary and derivative rights associated with the library including sequel and merchandising rights. In addition, Viacom will retain a minority interest in the entity holding the library assets.
Viacom has retained certain rights to reacquire the library and Soros and Dune have the right to sell the library to Viacom, beginning at the end of the fifth year, at the then current fair market value. Additionally, the parties have certain rights to acquire the other’s interest in the library at fair market value at any time upon the triggering of certain events. In the event that Soros continues to own the library after the fifth year, the distribution agreement with Paramount will automatically renew.
“After a thorough process that resulted in great interest for the DreamWorks film library, we’re pleased to have reached an agreement with Soros and Dune that has outstanding terms for all parties and is well within our expected sales price range. By significantly reducing our capital investment, this transaction materially increases our expected return on invested capital for the DreamWorks acquisition. Additionally, we retain all the strategic and operational benefits of the combination,” said Viacom executive vice president and chief financial officer Michael Dolan.
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.
