ITV

Category: Regulators

  • “Pakistani youth wishes to have good relationships with India” says Poet & Author Javed Akhtar

    Mumbai: While speaking at ABP network’s “Ideas of India” Summit  2023, Poet & Author Javed Akhtar  expressed, “ The fact is we are unaware that a huge segment of Pakistan wants to have good relations with India because they see us as a neighbouring country with a lot of development, growing industry and rich culture.”  

    Speaking at the second edition of the “Ideas of India” Summit, he added, “The love for the nation, city, and school is a natural feeling and there is no bleak doubt in it. It is natural for any individual to love the country they are born in. If somebody doesn’t feel the same way then there is a problem. For instance, in sports, there is a separate anthem for every team and there is always a devotion on their faces filled with love. It is impossible for an individual not to worship their anthem and feel goosebumps.”

    Akhtar added, “Being a member of society and country, we owe something to it. By the virtue of the fact that I was born as a human being, I must contribute to mankind.”

    The theme of the ABP Network’s “Ideas of India” Summit 2023 was “Learning from a Legend, Lessons, Good and Bad.” The summit brought together policymakers, cultural ambassadors, industry experts, celebrities, and business leaders to discuss India’s critical role in the midst of global churn and shifting dynamics. Because ABP Network is a leading multi-language channel with a reach of 535 million people in India, this summit provides one of the largest platforms for the brightest minds from various sectors to express their views.

  • Trai issues Directions to all Telecom Service Providers to submit Quality of Service (QoS) reports for each State and UT

    Mumbai : The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has asked all Telecom Service Providers to submit Quality of Service (QoS) reports for each State and UT.

    Trai  published the “Standards of Quality of Service of Basic Telephone Service (Wireline) and Cellular Mobile Telephone Service Regulations (7 of 2009)” on March 20, 2009, as amended from time to time.

    “Direction under section 13, read with sub-clauses (i) and (v) of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 11, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 (24 of 1997), and regulation 9 of the Standards of Quality of Service of Basic Telephone Service (Wireline) and Cellular Mobile Telephone Service Regulations, 2009 (7 of 2009) dated the 20th March, 2009, to submit compliance reports of benchmarks of Quality of Service parameters for each State and Union Territory” said the Trai  document

    Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) are currently submitting QoS performance reports based on License Service Area (LSA).

    The Authority has determined that the submission of a report for QoS parameters by State and Union Territory is required for an accurate analysis of the QoS provided by TSPs.

    “the Authority has observed that submission of State and Union Territory-wise data for Quality of Service parameters to the Authority is an essential requirement for optimum analysis of quality of service provided in various States and Union Territories,” said Trai

    Here are directions

    TSPs have been directed to submit quarterly reports on the QoS parameters specified in Regulation 3 for Basic (wireline) Services and ‘Network Service Quality Parameters’ of Regulation 5 for Cellular Mobile Telephone Services, beginning with the quarter ending 31 March 2023.

    Data shall be submitted in electronic form in Microsoft Excel format, duly signed by the authorized signatory of the service provider, within forty five (45) days from the end of each quarter for Basic Telephone Service (Wireline) in the format specified in Annexure-I to this Direction and within twenty one (21) days from the end of each quarter for Cellular Mobile Telephone Service in the format specified at Annexure-II to this Direction.

    LSA-wise data as currently being submitted through various PMRs shall continue to be submitted as per scheduled defined.

    This will also assist respective State/UT Governments in assisting service providers in improving QoS in the State/ UT  as needed.

  • NCLAT stays the insolvency proceedings against Zeel

    Mumbai : The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Friday stayed the order directing the initiation of insolvency proceedings against Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd ( Zeel)  which was a huge relief for the company. 

    The decision came after the NCLAT heard Zeel CEO Punit Goenka challenge the company’s insolvency proceedings.

    Also read : ZEEL CEO Punit Goenka moves NCLAT over insolvency case 

    Zeel CEO  Punit Goenka said “We respect the decision taken by the Hon’ble National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) and remain committed towards protecting the interests of all stakeholders. Our focus continues to be on the timely completion of the proposed merger.” 

    The National Company Law Tribunal’s Mumbai bench granted Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. permission to initiate insolvency proceedings on Wednesday.

    The order came as a result of a petition filed by IndusInd Bank Ltd. after the company failed to meet its obligations under a Debt Service Reserve Account Agreement between the bank and Siti Networks Ltd., to which Zee was also a party.

  • LCO’s bear the brunt of this

    Mumbai : The impasse between broadcasters and major cable operators escalated and on the 18t Feb, the three main broadcasters Star, Sony and Zee disconnected leaving everyone in a lurch. 

    The AIDCF members refused to sign the agreement with the broadcasters due to a steep hike in prices. As per them the prices can go up to 60 per cent , but the MSOs have not indicated a price rise to the LCO’s to communicate the same to the customers. 

    The LCO’s are in the front line as they serve 98 per cent  of the customers directly and they have been facing irate customers for the past 6 days. As the customers are not aware of the rise in prices, their main query is what will be the revised prices? Second, if a customer has paid in advance, why my cable is cut without any prior notice and will I get my money back and  lastly why are DTH and a few MSO’s have not been affected by this price hike?

    The LCO’s have been sending emails to their respective MSO’s regarding the questions asked by their customers, but there has been no response from the MSO’s.

    In Maharashtra, the prominent languages The Star Value Marathi pack was at Rs. 49/- and now with the hike in price it would go up to Rs. 62/-. 

    Even if this situation gets resolved in a day or two, the LCO’s are going to bear the brunt as they would have to give additional benefits for the days loss of services to their customers, to retain them whilst they have already paid MSO’s the full rate in advance. 

  • Maharashtra LCO associations release a statement on AIDCF vs Broadcasters fight

    Mumbai : Maharashtra  LCO associations MCOF and  DCOAM have released a statement to clear their stand on the ongoing tussle between AIDCF and broadcasters. 

    The release from LCO associations is as follow

    Broadcasters like Star, Sony & Zee have shut off AIDCF members who have taken a stand that they will not sign the Interconnect agreements with Broadcasters due to their asking for exorbitant rate hikes. They then go on to give a press release that says that increases could be as high as 60 per cent . But they do not show a single case of such an increase which any customer can see and understand. 

    As an LCO Association DCOAM was corresponding with Hathway but they find that their Association’s official email id is blocked by Hathway. Thereafter individual members have been writing emails but not a single email has ever been responded to yet. 

    Right now we have received news that KCCL, one of the 2 petitioners in that case in Kerala HC has signed the agreement.

    Now that broadcasters are also joining the litigation, this matter is going to get extended. A HC judge has little experience of Broadcasting and Distributions laws, so he/she has to first understand the Regulations first before passing any orders. The double standards of MSOs to says that since matter is sub judice, hence no action should be taken by any Broadcasters goes entirely against them, as when they wanted the NTO to be rolled out in Feb 2019 they forced NTO 1.0 on LCOs when so many pending cases where filed in different High Courts. 

    That all MSOs turned PAT positive immediately thereafter shows how they have profited at the cost of LCOs who’s revenue streams have dwindled due to their muscle power. If we refer to the Table 2.3 TRAI Consultation Paper on Market Structure and Competition in CATV dated 25 october 2021 , one will observe that MSOs serve direct customers only in upto 2 per cent  cases and the rest 98 per cent  is served by LCOs. Hence it is we who have been facing the brunt of customer calls in the past 6 days. The most basic question that every customer asks is What is the revised pricing going to be for my existing pack ? 

    When we seek answers to this Question there is not one person ready to provide answers in any MSO. Second question they ask is I have paid already but why did you disconnect services without any prior notice. This is a very difficult situation for us as MSOs have introduced prepaid wallet system for all of us. So we need to pay the MSO immediately and then only can any pack/channel be activated. MSOs get around 2 months of activation to pass on the payments to Broadcasters due to the submission of weekly reports and then calculating the invoice amounts. Even today when channels are not there we continue to pay MSOs the full rates for packages with no sign of refunds. But our customers are demanding reductions for lack of services.

    Even during the first wave of Covid all LCOs paid in spite of not being able to send staff for collections and we had many bad debts as many customers had fled to native places. Those bad debts have been borne by LCOs only. The third question that customers ask is why are the channels available on DTH and some MSOs? When DTH and many MSOs have signed up already, AIDCF is unwilling to say in Court that they will abide by Court orders as and when the matter is decided, hence please get signals restored. Hence we ventured out to see the impact of additional content cost if we are to retain same package structure. The results for Maharashtra where Hindi & Marathi are the dominant languages is shown below

    We have seen that in any industry when prices increase, the Co. tries to retain the same product but will reduce the weight and/or size so that the impact to customers is nil/minimal. In the above case too we can sit and work out what customers will find critical and what is expendable to minimize rate increases. But are MSOs ready to talk with us. ? So that brings us to the Question of what is this fight all about ? A reading of their petition filed in Kerala HC indicates that their major grouse is : “7(4) It shall be permissible to a broadcaster to offer discounts, on the maximum retail price of pay channel or bouquet of pay channels, to distributors of television channels, not exceeding fifteen percent of the maximum retail price:”

    This revenue is not at all shared with LCOs and is the point of dispute with the Broadcasters. Price increase is a mere façade. Customers and LCOs are just being used as pawns to help them achieve their MSO revenues

    Today is the 6th day of a blackout that we have little control over and we wish that through this Press Release we can convey to customers the helpless situation that we face in a highly competitive market. As LCOs we will be taking our legal steps too and will be filling our grouses in appropriate forums. This event should never happen again. 

  • Fight between broadcasters & AIDCF members to end ?

    Mumbai: The continuing conflict between cable operators and broadcasters was resolved on Thursday when members of the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) reached an agreement with the broadcasters to sign interconnection agreements without prejudice.

    The development was confirmed by sources, who added that the three broadcasters – Disney Star India, Zee Entertainment, and Sony TV are expected to resume their channel signals to all cable operators soon.

    The interconnection agreements may be revised based on the outcome of the court case, according to the resolution reached by the two parties.

    What first seemed to be a dispute about tariffs between cable operators and broadcasters developed into a conflict between two corporate media organisations, with seven MSOS switching sides.

    This follows the AIDCF’s fourth consecutive day of hearing failure to obtain an interim stay from the Kerala High Court.

    On 18 February , Star India, Zee Entertainment, and Sony TV cut their channels to cable operators who declined to abide by the terms of the revised new pricing order (NTO 3.0) announced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

    The NTO 3.0 came into force on February 1 and all the DTH operators and cable operators except 13 MSOS signed interconnection agreements with the broadcasters in order to ensure smooth telecast of all the channels to their subscribers.

    The non-compliant MSOS moved to several high courts across the country under the aegis of the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF).

    While the high courts denied any interim stay on NTO 3.0, Kerala High Court is hearing the matter  on daily basis and MSOS are leaving the battlefield one by one with each passing day.

    Apparently the tussle was manufactured by Reliance using its three MSOS to hurt Star India before the IPL season

    Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd (KCCL) & KVBL Managing Director Sureshkumar PP further stated that Jio and DTH platforms were taking advantage of this problem and implementing new techniques to grab their precious clients in a letter sent on Wednesday to Manoj Chhangani, Secretary General, AIDCF.

    With more than 3.1 million subscribers, KCCL was a significant AIDCF member who on Wednesday switched sides and signed the interconnection agreement in accordance with NTO 3.0.

    As a result, Siti Cable, its JV ICNCL, UCN Cable, Thamizhaga Cable TV, Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV, and KAL Cables, who were initially non-compliant, were preceded by KCCL as the seventh MSO to comply with NTO 3.0.

    Six MSOS-GTPL Hathway, Hathway Digital, Den, In Cable owned by NXT Digital of Hinduja Group, Fastway Transmissions, and Asianet Digital were left in AIDCF’s battle with broadcasters.

    Reliance-owned GTPL, Hathway, Hathway Digital, and Den control 1.8 crore homes, or 75% of the homes that do not receive Star India, Zee Entertainment, and Sony channels, out of the 2.5 crore homes that these six MSOS collectively reached.

  • AIDCF files petition in Kerala HC against Trai

    Mumbai: All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF)  has filed a writ petition against The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) in Kerala High Court. According to the petition AIDCF claims that Trai has made U turn on the necessity of Rs 12 price cap.

    The petition said, “By way of the Impugned Regulations Trai in violation of the Trai  Act,1997 has amongst others, increased the rate of television channels for inclusion in the bouquet from Rs 12 to Rs 19  per channel even though the cap of Rs 12  had been fixed only vide amendments undertaken on 1 January 2020 but were not fully given effect to until the price-cap was upheld by the High Court of Bombay vide judgement dated 30 June 2021. In an arbitrary manner, Trai without any justification has taken a complete u-turn on the necessity of Rs 12 price cap for inclusion of channels in the bouquet.”

    The petition further quotes Trai’s  stand as noted in the judgement dated 30 June 2021 where trai said, “Rs 19- should be considered as a price of niche/premium channels and should not be allowed to be part of any bouquet and it is the consumers’ choice that should be taken for subscription of such channels. The Authority has stated that the bouquet should be formed by bundling channels which are affordable and are in similar price brackets, and if high value channels are allowed to be part of the bouquets, the basic objective of the framework that the niche channel should only be given to the consumer on his free will, will be defeated. The Authority noted that as all top 4-S broadcasters haue priced their niche channel at Rs 19/-, the consumers are compelled to subscribe to either the bouquet or the niche channels, resulting in more payout from consumers in either case.”

    AIDCF further claimed in petition that, “ Without following the due process of consultation under Section 11(4) of the Trai Act, 1997, Trai has made changes to Regulation 7 (4) and  Regulation 10 (12) of the Interconnect Regulations which will force consumers to subscribe to bouquets and increase effective cost to consumers.”

    AIDCF argued that Trai has itself noted a constant decline in the cable television sector which if not stemmed, will lead to the destruction of an industry that provides employment to millions of people and a source of information, culture and awareness for the mass of the people.

    “By allowing an unchecked increase in prices to the consumers the Respondent No.r are unwittingly ensuring that there is further reduction and exodus from the cable television sector. The Impugned Regulations if not stayed will have a direct impact on consumers and will result in an immediate increase in average and ordinary consumer payout form 20 to 30 per cent,” said the petition.

    On Wednesday, Trai informed the Kerala HC that it had not postponed the implementation of its 2020 regulations and tariff order regarding TV channel pricing because all parties, including the members of AIDCF, believed that it needed to be given another look.

  • BARC Ratings: News18 Gujarati claims leadership position, ABP Asmita pushed to second spot

    Mumbai: As per the latest data released by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), News18 Gujarati has bagged the number one spot in the Gujarati News segment with 25.1 per cent market share this week.

    According to the latest BARC data, News18 Gujarati has beaten ABP Asmita, TV9 Gujarati, Sandesh News, VTV News and Mantavya 24×7 News. ABP Asmita stood second at 23.9 per cent market share, whereas the market share of TV9 Gujarati was at 19.3 per cent. Sandesh News stood at 14.4 per cent, VTV and Mantavya 24×7 News captured 13.9 per cent and 3.4 per cent market share respectively. (BARC; market share per cent 24 hrs, TG: All 15+, Guj/D&D/DNH, Wk 07’23, All days)

    With the most robust line up of Prime Time shows & anchors in the news genre, News18 Gujarati presents shows that offer unmatched perspective and also decode the news to make it easily comprehensible. This results in tremendous resonance for News18 Gujarati with the audience.

    To keep News18 Gujarati’s programming and presentation unique and far ahead of the competition, the channel has invested in editorial resources, along with state of the art studios and its ground network of reporters. As a result, News18 Gujarati has gained significant traction on YouTube as well as social media platforms.

     

  • AIDCF requests advertisers to make informed decisions when advertising on Star, Zee and Sony channels

    Mumbai: The All India Digital Cable Federation has cautioned advertisers not to run advertisements on Star, Zee, and Sony channels because the three broadcasters have deactivated signals to various independent MSOs because most of them have refused to sign new agreements, which could have resulted in price increases for consumers.

    “The recent actions by Disney-Star, Sony and Zee have deprived more than 45 million households across India from watching their channels since Saturday, 18 February 2023. The 45 million homes account for nearly 35 per cent of the pay TV market in India. Are you still getting the reach that you have paid for?,” the federation said in a statement. 

    “Your advertisements are not reaching more than 200 million consumers across all states and Union Territories in India for the past three days. More than 46 billion minutes of viewing time are being lost per day across India on the largest cable networks in India including GTPL, DEN, Hathway, Fastway, In Cable, NXT Digital, Asianet, KCCL, UCN and many more. These networks cater to large audiences in HSM as well as South with dominant presence in Punjab/Haryana/Chandigarh/HP, UP/Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal/Odisha, Madhya Pradesh/Chhattisgarh, Bihar/Jharkhand, North-East, AP/Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, etc,” the statement added. 

    “Take an informed decision when you advertise on any of the channels including Star Plus, Zee TV, Sony Entertainment, Sony Sab, Star Sports, Sony Sports, Star Gold, Sony Max, Zee Cinema, etc. These channels are not being viewed by more than 4,50,00,000 homes translating to more than 20,25,00,000 (20.25 crore) viewers. It is your right to ask for viewership when you’re paying for it,” the statement said.

  • Wunderman Thompson releases third edition of B2B Future Shopper report

    Mumbai: The third edition of Wunderman Thompson commerce &  technology’s B2B Future Shopper report, has been launched. Providing a deep dive into 11  international markets (including India) and 2,261 B2B buyers, the report offers an  unparalleled view into the world of commerce and B2B buying behaviour, to help  businesses win online.

    B2B Buyers often want to get through the purchase process, from inspiration to  purchase, as quickly as possible. We call this “compressed commerce” and those  businesses, retailers and marketplaces that can do this best, often find themselves  winning against their online competition. Indian B2B buyers are those that want  “compressed commerce” the most (94 per cent).

    Indian B2B buyers are more likely to buy from a supplier that inspires them. The most  commonly used source of inspiration was suppliers’ websites and mobile sites (39 per cent  and 40 per cent respectively), followed by suppliers’ apps (35 per cent for both categories of  purchase). When it comes to starting the B2B buying process, the report revealed  that 67 per cent of all B2B buyers start their purchase journeys online with Indian B2B  buyers ranking the highest.

    One of the key methods of communicating with B2B Buyers, when they are online and  on websites, is online and video chat. The report findings reveal that overall, this functionality, whilst used, is not used regularly. Although it is no surprise to see Indian  B2B buyers top this list, further cementing their role as real B2B digital embracers.

    Indian buyers also rank as the most frustrated buyers buying B2B products online,  and rank the highest when it comes to switching their suppliers vis-à-vis among their  global counterparts.

    The role of sustainability and the environment in business operations has never been  more important. In B2C, we are seeing consumers demand that the businesses they  buy from conduct themselves properly and with the long-term future of our planet in  mind. With purpose and sustainability feeding through the entire supply chain, Indian B2B buyers are the most likely to buy from a supplier who has a greater purpose that  goes beyond selling goods and services.

    Hugh Fletcher, global head of consultancy and innovation at Wunderman Thompson commerce & technology, said, “Just like regular consumers, B2B buyers want a more immersive, omnichannel experience and the same attention that is often afforded to B2C shoppers. Whether it’s selling through the metaverse, partnering  with a marketplace or optimising through mobile sites, it’s essential that businesses  listen to their clients’ pain points and deliver a tailored experience.

    “But as important as developing the best digital experience is, business cannot forget the importance of building genuine, human relationships; particularly with the wider societal shift to work from home. Finding the perfect mix and balance of digital and personal interaction is vital. And, with multiple channels to pick from, B2B buying has changed much since 2020. The onus is on B2B vendors to deliver their buyers the right products, at the right price, through the best omni-channel experiences.”  

    Link to the report – The B2B Future Shopper Report 2023 (wundermanthompson.com)