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Tag: Broadcasting

  • Indian broadcasting & cable TV market to surpass $19 billion by 2026, says report

    Indian broadcasting & cable TV market to surpass $19 billion by 2026, says report

    NEW DELHI: 2020 was packed with unforeseen highs and lows for the Indian broadcasting and cable TV sector. From record viewership, to plummeting ad revenues, to the NTO 2.0 wrangle, the industry is still in a rather precarious position. Despite these challenges, the broadcast and cable TV market, currently valued at $11.61 billion, is expected to reach $19.06 billion by FY2026, states a report by TechSci Research. 

    The India Broadcasting and Cable TV Market report holds favourable regulations, technological advancements and growing investment opportunities as key factors driving this growth. The increasing demand for TV sets, especially in rural India, is also further boosting the market. Moreover, the expansion of the entertainment industry with greater demand for international TV channels and shows will propel the growth of this sector through FY2026.

    In recent times, India has witnessed a surge in active subscriber base with entry of various multi system operators (MSOs). The digitisation of cable TV in the country is at an advanced stage with markets driven by content innovation and product offerings. Direct-to-home (DTH) subscriptions are growing rapidly with increasing per capita disposable income. The increased usage of 3G and 4G services along with an influx of new content creation methods are some other contributors expected to drive the growth of the Indian broadcasting and cable TV market. 

    Increasing disposable income coupled with rising urbanisation has changed the preferences of Indian consumers towards enhanced experience of television viewing. The concept of home theatre has been gaining traction among the new generation, with people always looking for advanced viewing options and latest technologies to better their experience. These factors are expected to fuel growth in the country’s TV and broadcasting market over the next five years.

    Also, there is a rising trend for personalised experience and premium television cable and DTH offerings in India, wherein customers demand personalised channels, picture quality, multiple functionalities in set top boxes, such as a different screen for children, etc. This would likely continue in the coming years as one of major trends for TV and broadcasting industry during the forecast period.

    “Southern region accounts for more than 31 per cent of the demand in India’s broadcasting and cable TV market and the region is expected to continue its dominance in the country during the forecast period as well. Major demand in the southern region is coming from Bengaluru, Kerala, and Karnataka. The area has seen significant developments since the recent years regarding broadcasting and cable technology,” said TechSci research director Karan Chechi.

    India’s broadcasting and cable TV market can be segmented based on type, revenue generation, and region. Based on type, cable TV and satellite accounted for the dominant share as an increasing number of users are shifting towards DTH services from the traditional cable operators, due to high picture quality and affordable prices.

    Some of the major players operating in this segment include Siti Networks, DEN Networks, Tata Sky, GTPL Hathway, Sun Direct TV, Dish TV India, Bharti Telemedia, NXTDIGITAL, Fastway Transmission, and Asianet Satellite Communications, among others.

  • Fresh content, new subscribers vital for long-term growth: Zeel

    Fresh content, new subscribers vital for long-term growth: Zeel

    KOLKATA: An unstable regulatory environment compounded by an unprecedented global pandemic has stymied growth in FY21 for the already-ailing broadcasting sector. In some ways, the second half of the year could be better for the industry, with advertising coming back. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) has also pinned its hopes on the last two quarters, especially Q4.

    Zeel CEO and MD Punit Goenka said in an earnings call that the company has seen significant improvement, but acknowledged that the ad pricing has not returned to pre-Covid level yet. Goenka estimated that it would normalise in Q3 and start seeing growth in Q4.

    “Q3 and Q4 base anyways are soft but we expect that in Q3, we will only be able to maintain what we had received last year; very insignificant, moderate growth if at all possible. But Q4 certainly will have heavy growth over the last year,” he remarked.

    While Zeel has been able to stay ahead of the pack in some markets in terms of viewership, it has fallen behind in regional spaces like Marathi and Bengali. Goenka is of the view that a new and improved content pipeline could be a cure for this.

    “Obviously, the current pipeline seems jaded to the viewers and therefore they have chosen to go and consume more on the competition. But the good part is we have not lost reach on the channel as yet, therefore we will have to revamp the content there,” he said.

    He did go on to add that Zeel is already seeing a recovery in the Bengali market and it will clock faster growth in the next couple of months. For the Marathi market, the company expects a recovery in the next one or two quarters. However, Goenka is sanguine about making a comeback with their audience.

    “Certainly the new line-up that competitors have introduced post the lockdown has refreshed content for them and the consumers may have preferred that over the legacy shows that we have been serving. As you know, there is always an up and down in this kind of a business so we are confident that we will regain our viewership back,” he said.

    In terms of domestic subscription growth too, FY21 would be difficult for the company. It has cited instability of NTO 2.0 as a key reason because it has frozen the pricing for the year. But going forward, it hopes double-digit to low-teens is quite possible as the directive should be out of the way, either implemented or disposed of.

    “What has happened is when we implemented NTO 1.0, we had a complete blueprint of how we were going to take up pricing and how product launches would happen over a period of time and how we will drive our subscription revenue. In fact, in the third and fourth quarter of last year we launched four new channels. So that was also a part of it. Now because of NTO 2.0, all the plans of our bouquet as well as taking up the pricing is on hold and that is the reason why subscription revenue for this year would be impacted on the domestic broadcast side,” Zeel FPA and investors relations, corporate strategy head Bijal Shah commented.

    In the long term, the network sees a two-fold opportunity in the domestic broadcast sector. There are around 100 million homes in the country that do not have TV yet, which could be a significant opportunity for a deeper subscriber base. On the pricing side, it thinks that the ARPUs are pretty low. ZeeL has already planned price increases in some of the markets. Moreover, the company aims to launch more products.

    On EBITDA margin, Zeel hopes to see an improvement every quarter. Once FY22 proves to be a normal year without any disruption on the advertising side or subscription side, the margin trajectory should gradually return to normal.

  • MIB constitutes committee to review guidelines on TV rating agencies

    MIB constitutes committee to review guidelines on TV rating agencies

    KOLKATA: Amid the concerns raised over TV ratings system in India, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has constituted a committee to review guidelines on TV rating agencies. The ministry has published the notification on 4 November.

    In the notification, the ministry has stated that it has taken the decision after detailed deliberations by a parliamentary committee, committee on TRP constituted by MIB and recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

    “Based on the operation of the guidelines for a few years, there is a need to have a fresh look on the guidelines particularly keeping in view the recent recommendations of TRAI, technological advancements/ interventions to address the system and further strengthening of the procedures for a credible and transparent rating system, a Committee is hereby constituted to study different aspects of the TV rating system in India as they have evolved over a period of time,” MIB stated.

    As per MIB order, the committee will be responsible for carrying out an appraisal of the existing system, examine TRAI recommendations, overall industry scenario along with addressing the needs of stakeholders. The committee will be chaired by Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati.

  • Prasar Bharati reviewing contract with Press Trust of India

    Prasar Bharati reviewing contract with Press Trust of India

    NEW DELHI: Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati is said to be reconsidering its equation with news agency Press Trust of India (PTI) and is learnt to have sent a letter to the news agency over its reporting.

    PTI, one of the country’s largest and oldest news agencies, has come under fire for an interview, which was published earlier this week, with Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong. In the interview, Weidong blamed India for the ongoing border crisis in Ladakh and the violent face-off in Galwan Valley that killed 20 Indian soldiers. 

    The interview, the pubcaster said, was disseminated widely by PTI to its domestic subscribers and prominently shared with foreign entities.

    Prasar Bharati stated that it is reviewing the need to continue their relationship in the wake of recent news reports that it alleged were "detrimental to India’s national interest and may have undermined the country’s territorial integrity."

    It added that PTI "has conducted itself in a manner contrary to the values that the public broadcaster has been mandated to uphold." Because of this, the pubcaster is reconsidering being a patron of PTI. The news agency is substantially supported by the public broadcaster through huge annual fees towards subscriptions which is around Rs 9 crore. It has repeatedly refused to review the terms and condition of the contract since 2016-2017. 

    This seems to not have been the first time as Prasar Bharati claims that it has been time and again alerting PTI on "editorial lapses resulting in dissemination of wrong news harming public interest."

    Prasar Bharati will convey its decision soon.
     

  • Analysts bullish on broadcasters’ stock rebound thanks to ad revenue recovery

    Analysts bullish on broadcasters’ stock rebound thanks to ad revenue recovery

    KOLKATA: The Covid2019 pandemic hit the media and entertainment industry due to pressure on advertising revenue, uncertainty in subscription and closure of multiplexes. As the lockdown eases, operations have started normalising leading to a recovery in the business. On Tuesday, Nifty media index advanced 2.27 per cent while companies like Network18, Inox Leisure, Dish TV, Zee Media and Jagran Prakashan saw four to five per cent gains.

    Network18 was the highest gainer in the Nifty media index, advancing 4.99 per cent. Moreover, its stock has been gaining for eight days consecutively as of Tuesday.  It touched a new 52-week high hitting Rs 47.3 during the day while it ended the day at Rs 47.30. TV18 Broadcast stock has been gaining for the last three days as of Tuesday and has risen 10.45 per cent returns in the period. Its shares rallied 3.79 to end at Rs 39.60 , after touching a new 52-week of Rs 40.3. Zee Media Corporation Ltd (ZMCL) also gained 4.48 per cent on Tuesday. While Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL)’s gain was comparatively lower, both ZEEL and ZMCL have been gaining for the last two days as of Tuesday. 

    Figure: Nifty Media Index on Tuesday 

    Analysts are also bullish on the rebound of broadcasters’ stocks on the back of higher advertising revenue. “Now that advertising is coming back after unlock, there will be some rebound on the expectations of advertisement revenues. You may see media stocks getting better but not all stocks, particularly multiplexes, because malls have not opened up. But if you look at pure broadcasters, the valuation may go up. Depending on the how soon the recovery happens, there will be an upside. The cable operators, who are facing disruption in payment, will see things easing down," says SBICap Securities institutional equity research head Rajiv Sharma.

    “Print media will take a lot of time to rebound because advertising revenue has taken a hit and people are not taking newspapers. Broadcast will be the first segment to recover. Once fresh content comes in, there will be bigger recovery in advertising revenue. In the case of print and radio, this is more of relief rally. Structurally, radio and print are going to suffer even after Covid2019,” Elara Capital VP – research analyst (Media) Karan Taurani says.

    Among DTH players, Dish TV stock has been gaining for the last 17 days and has risen 125.47 per cent returns in the period. DEN Networks has gained 9.69 per cent on Tuesday. Another major multi system operators, Hathway Cable and Datacom has also gained 7.67 per cent.

  • TRAI reiterates need for converged regulatory regime for telecom & broadcasting services

    TRAI reiterates need for converged regulatory regime for telecom & broadcasting services

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) again highlighted the need for a converged regulatory regime for telecom and broadcasting services in India following the model of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in US and Office of Communications (OfCom) in the UK. 

    As large scale changes in these two sectors are taking place due to convergence, the regulatory body opines that there is an urgent need for having a comprehensive regulatory framework to deal with various issues arising out of the convergence of technologies and services.

    In reply to a letter by Rajyasabha MP Subhash Chandra regarding the need to have an independent regulator, TRAI has mentioned that there is no need for a separate regulator for broadcasting and cable sector addressing the ministry of communication.

    “Large scale changes in the telecom and broadcasting sector are taking place due to convergence and without a converged regulatory framework any attempts to regulate the telecom and broadcasting sectors in coming times may result in bottlenecks, imperfect competition, disputes and opportunities for arbitrage. Thus, if one service can be provided by two different routes and the license fees of one is much lower, then the tendency would be to use this alternative. The regulatory regime has to be such that the consumers and service providers should benefit from the technological advances,” it added.

    “The regime should not create any hindrance in the deployment of any technology for offering any type of telecom services including broadcasting services. At the same time due to technological developments, no service providers should be able to disturb the level playing field by taking advantage of regulatory policies. To achieve these objectives, it is necessary that licensing should be service neutral and the converged regulatory regime for telecom and broadcasting services should be in place. The organisational restructuring in view of technological developments is a must, otherwise, it may be difficult to exploit the full benefits of these technological developments,” the regulator highlighted. 

    Notably, the government brought the broadcasting and cable television services within the ambit of telecommunication services for the first time in 2004. TRAI, in addition to the telecoms sector, had also been set up as the regulator for the media and broadcasting industry. TRAI mentioned in the letter that since then it has brought various reforms in the industry including digitisation, the new tariff order which has helped it to grow. “Looking at the role so far played by TRAI, it is obvious that there is no need for a separate regulator for broadcasting and cable sector,” it states. However, those reforms were most of the time challenged in various judicial forums by the stakeholders and the regulatory body has been blamed for “micro-managing” the sector.

    Earlier in 2018, TRAI proposed a converged regulator for information and communications technology (ICT) and broadcast sectors but television broadcasters and broadcasting associations had opposed the proposal. 

  • TRAI consultation paper: Tech players echo need for defined CAS/SMS framework

    TRAI consultation paper: Tech players echo need for defined CAS/SMS framework

    MUMBAI: The irregularities in the conditional access system (CAS) and subscriber management systems (SMS), the key pillars of delivering broadcast services in the digitised era,  have been major concerns for stakeholders. Like all broadcasters and major distribution platform operators (DPOs), technology players have voiced the need to define a framework for CAS/SMS systems as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a consultation paper seeking comments on the issue.  

    ByDesign India Private Ltd (BIPL), which offers an advanced embedded security CAS, SMS platform, recommends certain additional audit measures to improve the compliance of CAS, SMS which can be utilised by TRAI and/or its appointed auditors as it is of the view that self-certification is not sufficient.

    “BIPL has long been an advocate for standardisation of the systems which creates a level playing field and a fair operating environment for all ecosystem partners," it said. According to it, a defined framework with minimum requirements would ensure good service quality to end consumers, help broadcasters by reducing content security threat and prevent loss of revenue for the government of India. It mentioned the dire need to define a framework to benchmark the minimum requirements of the system before these can be deployed by any DPO in India.

    “A standard framework also allows the product / application developers / providers to plan their resources and price their products / services in accordance to the market offerings and end consumer requirements. This helps in running sustainable business operations with healthy competition and implementing growth strategies thereby providing confidence and satisfaction to its investors, shareholders as well as its employees,” it added. 

    Nagra Kudelski opined that a certificate from CAS and SMS vendor is sufficient to confirm the compliance of CAS, SMS. However, it also noted that a compliance certificate certifying that the SoC (System on Chip) has implemented secure TEE or hardware root of trust (security module) needs to be issued by the SoC vendor. It also added that SoC, CAS, SMS vendors should have a registered office in India with the necessary infrastructure to provide 24 x 7 support. 

    “While we follow the Digital Video Broadcasting Project (DVB) standards, we also agree that there is a need to define a framework for the overall Digital TV systems in India. There is a need to define CAS security and robustness to ensure that the business and technical interests of Operators and the Government of India are fully met,” it stated further. 

    ReliableSoft, one of the leading SMS providers in India recommended that TRAI should finalise benchmark features of SMS apart from Schedule III features and then all DPOs should conform those features with their existing SMS or New SMS that DPOs are going to finalise, based on that SMS compliance can be improved. It is also in favour of a defined framework for SMS systems in India.

    Schedule III of the interconnection regulation specifies the benchmark features or technical criteria that the systems are required to comply with. In addition, there are provisions in Schedule III that entail CAS and SMS systems to conform to certain technical features to check the piracy.

    SAFEVIEW, which offers CAS/DRM solution to TV operators, said that CAS-issued certificate for the SMS deployed in that particular DPO should be made mandatory. It also added that current version of CAS deployed needs to be certified by an accredited international agency for Hollywood studios. It is also in favour of defining a framework for CAS/ SMS systems to benchmark the minimum requirements.

    However, technology players differ in their opinion on the topic that who should be entrusted with the task of defining the framework. BIPL said a committee should be entrusted with a chairperson who should be reporting to the regulator. It also suggested representation from TRAI,  ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB), ministry of electronics and information technology ( MEITY), ministry of home affairs (MHA), ministry of finance (MoF),  ministry of company/ corporate and consumer affairs, Prasar Bharati, Software Testing and Quality Certification (STQC) Directorate, BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards). 

    “We propose that TRAI leads the overall monitoring and execution with support from BIS. Assign industry members including the leading CAS vendors, operators and SMS vendors as part of a group to define the framework. As TRAI is the leading authority that defines the rules and regulations for the industry, and therefore, is in best position to ensure proper measures are put in place. Adding industry members will ensure that the operation and business interests are considered as part of the framework,” Nagra Kudelski said. 

    ReliableSoft suggested that STQC Directorate should be entrusted with the task while SAFEVIEW recommended TRAI itself should take up the task. 

  • ZMCL appoints Amitabh Kumar as additional director

    ZMCL appoints Amitabh Kumar as additional director

    MUMBAI: Zee Media Corporation Ltd's (ZMCL) board of directors has approved the appointment of Amitabh Kumar as an additional director in the category of non-executive non-independent director with effect from 26 March 2020 until the conclusion of the ensuing annual general meeting of the company to be held in the calendar year 2020.

    Kumar's appointment has been done on the basis of recommendations of the nomination and remuneration committee, confirming that he is not debarred from holding the office of director pursuant to any SEBI order or any other authority, the company said in a stock-exchange filing. 

    Kumar is a technology leader in the media and telecom industry. He is an Electronics Engineering Graduate (Gold Medalist) from BITS Pilani. He also holds PG Diploma in Telecommunications Management from TEMIC Canada and Certification in Electronics Data Interchange from DEAKIN University, Australia.

    He has served as director operations in VSNL from 1995 to 2001 and was also acting chairman and managing director in year 1998- 99, where he had a key role in setting up India's first internet services. He has also served on the board of governors of Intelsat and was council member of Commonwealth Telecommunications Organization {CTO). 

    He has been the president -technology in the Zee Network from 2001 till 2004, being responsible for global broadcast operations spanning to 150 channels and in Dish TV India from 2004 till 2013, where he played a major role in setting up operations for India's first DTH operator. 

  • Broadcasting and cable TV services grew marginally in Q2: TRAI

    Broadcasting and cable TV services grew marginally in Q2: TRAI

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory and Authority of India in its 2019 September-end quarter report has shown a marginal growth in the broadcasting and cable TV services with respect to the number of private satellite TV channels permitted by the government and pay TV channels as reported by broadcasters.

    TRAI in its performance indicator report has mentioned that there has been continuous growth in the number of private satellite TV channels subject to the government’s approval in the last five quarters.

    It reported that a total number of 910 private satellite TV channels have been permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for uplinking only/downlinking only/uplinking and downlinking both compared to 851 channels in the same quarter of 2018.

    With respect to quarterly growth in the number of satellite Pay TV channels, TRAI reported at least 330 pay channels, of which 232 SD and 98 HD Pay TV channels compared to 313 pay channels, of which 216 SD and 97 HD Pay TV channels in the same quarter of 2018.

    As the country achieved 100 per cent digitisation of Cable TV network, TRAI said, “This is a stupendous achievement making India as the only large country where 100 per cent digitisation of cable network has been achieved through mandatory regulations.”

    Out of top four Cable TV networks, Siti Networks has topped the chart with over 91 lakh subscribers , whereas DEN Networks stood at the fourth position with 43 lakh subscribers, TRAI report said.

    Meanwhile, GTPL Hathway and Hathway Digital had a tough fight for the second and third spot with difference of few thousands of subscribers, both had 53 lakh subscribers in September ended quarter.

    The report said that there are total 1,606 Multi System Operators (MSOs) registered with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), of these 1,143 MSOs are operational. It further added, there are 12 MSOs & 1 HITS (Head in the Sky) operators who have subscribers base over a million.  

    TRAI while mentioning about Direct-To-Home (DTH) services’ growth said that the DTH service has displayed a phenomenal growth and in all there four pay DTH providers in India.

    According to the report, Pay DTH has attained total active subscriber base of around 69.30 million at the end of September quarter compared to 69.45 million in the same quarter of 2018.

    Tata Sky and Dish TV locking the horns for first and second position in market share, the latter has 31.61 per cent subscribers base and former 31.23 per cent. Whereas, Airtel being at the third position has subscribers base of 23.39 per cent and Sun Direct has 13.8 per cent.

  • Youth genre emerges as top gainer in Chrome DM Week 43

    Youth genre emerges as top gainer in Chrome DM Week 43

    MUMBAI: Youth genre has emerged as the top gainer in week 43 of Chrome Data Analytics and Media data. The genre grew by 1.95 per cent. In this genre, MTV gained the highest OTS with 85.4 per cent in Hsm Excl<1 market.

    OTS is the actual census-based percentage connectivity of a channel spread across 81 million homes, as reported by Chrome DM, across analogue cable, digital cable, and DTH.

    This week, religious gained second position and grew by 1.45 per cent in Hsm Excl<1 market. In this genre, Aastha channel gained the highest OTS with 98.0 per cent. While Hindi news genre stood in the third position by gaining 0.73 per cent in Hsm Excl<1 market , ABP News secured the highest OTS with 99.4 per cent.

    Hindi movies stood in fourth position and grew by 0.48 per cent. B4U Kadak channel gained the highest OTS with 90.4 per cent in the Hindi movies genre. Hindi GEC genre stood on the fifth position and grew by 0.27 per cent in and DD National gained the highest OTS with 99.1 per cent in the HSM Excel <1 market.