Cable TV
TDSAT rules in favor of DEN Networks, directs ZEE entertainment to provide channels on RIO basis
In a major victory for DEN Networks – TDSAT (Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal) directed ZEE Entertainment Limited (ZEEL) to provide channels to DEN Networks on RIO basis dismissing ZEEL’s claim that SMS and CAS of DEN were not compliant with the regulations.
TDSAT has passed this order in favour of DEN Networks after taking cognizance of Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Limited (BECIL) audit report which found that DEN’s systems are fully compliant with TRAI regulations.
Earlier, DEN had filed a petition in TDSAT to go on RIO with ZEEL till the time both the parties are not able to negotiate for agreed terms of settlement and further agreement on Content Subscription. And TDSAT in its order dated 15th January 2018 had directed BECIL to hold an audit of the DEN Networks’ to find out whether it is regulation compliant or not.
Both the parties are in dispute due to outstanding dues and non-renewal of their commercial arrangement which expired on December 31, 2017.
In its order, the Tribunal had also directed both the parties to appear before CA Mediator on February 5, 2018 and asked the Mediator to submit / furnish the result of the mediation proceedings within 10 days.
Accepting the request of BECIL for additional time, the Tribunal had granted it six weeks’ time to submit the audit report of three JV companies of DEN Networks having independent DAS license alongwith independent head-end separate CAS and SMS servers.
The Tribunal also asked DEN Networks to release the pending / outstanding dues of Rs 23.50 Crore which DEN had withheld subject to resolution of the dispute.
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.
