Cable TV
Workshop to train manpower in cable TV distribution
NEW DELHI: A workshop is being held on 27 November to deliberate on the importance of skilling, certification and accreditation of the manpower deployed in cable TV distribution.
It is organised by the Broadcast Engineering Consultants (India) Ltd ( BECIL) in collaboration with the Instrumentation Automation Surveillance & Communication-Sector Skill Council (IASC-SSC in New Delhi a Vigyan Bhavan.
Digitisation of the cable TV networks in the country has enabled availability of state-of-the-art services not only in the field of TV but also broadband access and host of value added services. HD, 4K & 8K quality TV pictures can also be provided on digital cable networks. This has provided a lot of opportunities to cable TV service providers which are not available even on DTH/ IPTV/ OTT platforms.
However, it has also posed challenges like properly equipping and training the manpower in the field of digital technology to maintain the quality of service specified not only by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India but also for consumer satisfaction.
Certification of their skills for better employment opportunities and their accreditation (since the personnel visit homes during hours when most women and children are alone) are also considered important issues.
Keeping in view the need of skilled manpower, the government embarked on Skill India Mission and a number of schemes have been initiated. IASC-SSC was created with the objective to carry out skill-gap analysis, development of qualification packs and national occupational standards and affiliation of training partners and assessment agencies, certification of trained manpower and help their placement.
IASC-SSC is an industry-led non-profit company under the preview of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. The council is also certifying the existing available human resources having domain knowledge under recognition of prior learning (RPL) scheme to bring them into mainstream
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.
