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Tag: DTH

  • Tata Sky vs TRAI: Delhi High Court lists matter for 15 January, asks regulator to produce documents

    Tata Sky vs TRAI: Delhi High Court lists matter for 15 January, asks regulator to produce documents

    MUMBAI: Tata Sky got a breather from the Delhi High Court today as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) assured that it will not take any coercive action against the direct to home (DTH) operator until 15 January, which is when the matter will be heard next.

    Bharti Telemedia-owned Airtel Digital TV and Discovery Communication India, petitioners in the matter, too were handed a respite.

    Interestingly, another leading DTH operator Sun Direct impleaded itself in the matter.

    Kapil Sibal impressed upon the judges to ask TRAI to produce all documents on how it arrived at the decision to implement the new tariff regime. He also stated that implementing the present order will have an adverse impact on business.

    The TRAI lawyer countered saying that while Tata Sky feels aggrieved, a big  DTH operator like Dish TV and all the MSOs seem satisfied and have complied with the new tariff framework.

    Sibal went on to explain how the new tariff order is going to be cumbersome for subscribers to exercise their so-called options.

    The court has now asked the regulator to file the documents and the data based on which the new regime is based. 

    Tata Sky is unlikely to upload its RIO for now unlike Discovery, which has already published the same on its website.

    Discovery, however, has complied with TRAI’s tariff order and regulations under protest.

    In 2017, Bharti Telemedia, Tata Sky and Discovery Communication India had filed petitions against TRAI, challenging its tariff order and the interconnect regulations.

    Unlike the position adopted by Star India wherein it questioned the regulatory powers of TRAI, the matter in the Delhi HC questions on the regulator’s power to wipe out deals that operators enter into to fix commissions and rates for customers.

    While the fate of the two DTH operators hangs in the balance in this matter, all other distribution platform operators (DPOs) continue to be bound by the tariff order.

  • TRAI tariff order, disruption posed challenges to DPOs in 2018

    TRAI tariff order, disruption posed challenges to DPOs in 2018

    MUMBAI: Distribution platform operators (DPOs) in India trod a tricky terrain throughout 2018. Both DTH and cable operators continued to face the heat of Jio FTTH, the rapid growth of over-the-top (OTT) platforms and the uncertainties posed by the implementation of the new tariff regime towards the end of the year.

    OTT platforms and challenge of cord cutting

    With the fall in data triggered by Jio, OTT went beyond male, metro, and millennial which posed a potential threat to the cable and DTH industry. As online viewership increased rapidly, traditional distributors were exposed to the threat of cord-cutting.

    What bothered cable operators more than independent platforms was traditional broadcasters driving the B2C lane. Almost all the major broadcasters strengthened their presence on digital, offering catch-up TV along with original content, thus allowing them to bypass revenue sharing with traditional distributors without having to worry about the tariff order or down-linking permission from the government.

    KCCL CEO Shaji Mathews pointed out that broadcasters are trying to develop OTT platforms in such a way that their dependence on cable and DTH is reduced. He also added that they are developing it to push for additional viewership and to have an alternative medium.

    Jio’s FTTH foray

    After leading the wireless data revolution, Mukesh Ambani-led Jio Infocomm returned with another blockbuster offering last year – Jio GigaFiber. The grand entry in the fixed-line broadband sector was not only a challenge for broadband service providers but for cable, DTH players also as the FTTH service is bundled with additional benefits including TV service. Given that the Jio FTTH service will come at a lower cost as compared to market rates, another price war is likely to be unleashed by India’s richest man. In addition to that, the higher amount of data at better speeds will convert more people into binge-watchers of online content increasing the risk of cord-cutting.

    Jio’s entry in India’s low-penetrated FLBB sector has created opportunities for larger MSOs as the former quickly realised the difficulty of last-mile connectivity.

    “If you talk about Jio coming in the industry, we are very much positive towards it that they have recognised our structure – broadcaster, distributor, MSOs, LMOs. Since they have recognised it and tied up with major players like Den and Hathway, it’s a win-win situation for industry also,” Maharashtra Cable Operators Foundation member Asif Sayed said.

    According to Mathews, it is not the first time that the cable industry has been subjected to disruption. The advent of DTH too was rooted in disruption. According to him, the cable industry is well equipped to face the impending Jio onslaught.

    DD FreeDish growth

    Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati’s free-to-air (FTA) platform DD FreeDish too became a cause for concern for the distribution industry. The new tariff framework caps monthly cable or DTH bill of television households at Rs 130 (plus taxes) for the first 100 FTA channels. However, DD Free Dish offers the same free of cost. Doordarshan director general Supriya Sahu believes DD FreeDish is not only used by a marginal section of the society but is also evolving as an alternative option which clearly indicates that it could be a potential threat for DPOs. As per consulting firm EY, the number of DD FreeDish subscribers is expected to reach over 40 million by 2020.

    DPOs forged new alliances

    With the threat of disruption looming large, cable and DTH operators adopted new strategies to survive. Major DTH players as well as MSOs signed content deals with popular OTT platforms and rolled out hybrid set-top boxes as a counter.

    Essel group-promoted Siti Networks unveiled “SITI PlayTop” with YouTube and YouTube Kids in-built, its first hybrid set top box, in September 2018. Another leading MSO, Hathway, launched two new products – an OTT set-top box and a cable hybrid box. Mumbai-headquartered MSO IMCL’s group company ONE Fiber also introduced an OTT device. DTH companies too got in on the act. In the first half of 2018, Harit Nagpal-led Tata Sky entered into a strategic partnership with streaming giant Netflix. India’s largest DTH operator Dish TV announced the national launch of its OTT platform and DishSMRT Stick – a streaming device to make any TV smart. Jawahar Goel’s company has also planned new consumer-friendly initiatives including the launch of Hybrid connected box and integration of voice assistance in next-generation smart STB.

    Added focus on broadband

    Realising the importance of online video in the entertainment sector, MSOs and some LCOs with their existing resources focused on broadband business to further cement their positions. Cable operators with a reach of over 100 million households can easily upgrade fixed line coaxial cable to carry high-speed broadband. Fastway CEO Peeush Mahajan said his company expanded its broadband service in new locations in 2018 and the MSO’s focus will be expanding further in as many as areas possible this year. Even DTH operator Tata Sky rolled out broadband service in 15 cities as it remodeled itself as a video and broadband company.

    KCCL’s Mathews said that most major MSOs have now started investing in broadband and FTTH. He also added that the implementation of fixed-line broadband has been hampered because of various governmental issues like lack of coordination between the various ministries on issues like license fee and difficulties in acquiring licenses.

    VAS remained key

    While the ARPU growth was on the lower side across the ecosystem, DTH operators invested in various value-added-services to drive growth. Dish TV launched VAS services for both DishTV and D2H brands such as ‘Bhojpuri Active’, ‘Fitness Active’ among others with an objective of delivering quality content to consumers across regions in their language. Tata Sky too expanded its regional services with the launch of VAS like Tata Sky Telugu Cinema and Tata Sky Tamil Cinema. At the end of year, it also launched Tata Sky ShortsTV, a service dedicated to curated short stories and films.

    DTH sector’s sluggish growth

    The growth of direct to home (DTH) subscriber base of private players in India was the slowest over the last five years for the nine month period ended 30 September 2018 (TQY 2018, TQY period, three quarters of the year under review) as per TRAI. The good news was that the quarter ended 30 June 2018 (Jun-18, last or previous quarter) saw a reversal of fortunes. From a loss of about 30,000 (0.003 crore, 0.3 million, 0.3 lakh) subscribers in the quarter ended 31 March 2018 (Mar-18), DTH subscriber growth was positive 18.4 lakh (0.184 crore, 1.84 million) for the quarter ended 30 June 2018 (Jun-18). However, in the case of the quarter ended 30 September 2018 (Sep-18), subscriber growth has once again nose-dived to just 8,000 subscriber additions.

    New tariff regime

    The most crucial development of 2018 was TRAI’s win against Star India in the Supreme Court with regards to the new tariff order. With the radical change in the overall ecosystem, the organisations sounded cautiously optimistic. The new rule is expected to bring transparency in the value chain along with creating a level playing field for all stakeholders.

    While broadcasters and DTH platforms are likely to be benefitted, LCOs seem highly concerned about what’s in store for them. LCOs feel the 80-20 revenue share will work for DTH operators but not for MSOs. They prefer a share cap for LCOs instead of taking it out from the 20 per cent that MSOs have. While the deadline to implement the order was 28 December 2018, TRAI offered respite to the sector handing an extension until 31 January 2019 to ensure a smooth transition.

    With less than a month to go, DPOs have also started updating new channel prices and packages on their websites to inform consumers. Many large MSOs like Hathway, DEN Networks and Siti Cable have come up with "suggestive packs" bundling popular channels of all major broadcasters. Moreover, as TRAI has withdrawn its appeal before the Supreme Court to reinstate the 15 per cent cap on discounting of channel bouquets under the new regime, DPOs say now the order lacks value. As broadcasters now can give a discount of 50-60 per cent on bouqets keeping the a-la-carte channel price high, DPOs will not be in a position to package their products.

    Given the fact that there will be some time needed for consumers to adjust to the new structure, broadcasters may call for a rating blackout for at least six to eight weeks. However, it will not be the first rating blackout. When the industry went from analogue to digital distribution, the ratings were held back for around nine weeks. Though initially there was chaos, later both cable operators and DTH platforms reaped benefit from digitisation. “TRAI tariff order implementation provides transparency in the system and gives more choice to the consumer. Dish TV has been prepared to implement the new tariff order and stands to benefit with faster and healthier growth,” India’s largest operator Dish TV feels.

    Standing at the next revolution in TV industry, time will tell how the new regime will pan out for stakeholders. 

  • SPN India launches its consumer education campaign with Amitabh Bachchan

    SPN India launches its consumer education campaign with Amitabh Bachchan

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has launched a comprehensive consumer education campaign, related to the new MRP (maximum retail price) way of TV channel subscriptions provided by DTH / cable operators. 

    The #RishtaPakkaSamjho campaign has been launched with Amitabh Bachchan. 

    The intent of this campaign, which is being rolled-out in phases, is to empower the consumer with knowledge about various pricing options to choose from, so that the consumer can make an informed choice about which Sony channels they want to watch. Accordingly, consumers can request their respective DTH / cable operator/s to provide them those channels, either on a la carte basis or as a combination / bouquet. 

    According to SPN chief revenue officer distribution and head — Sports Rajesh Kaul said, 

    "The 45-seconder TV spot talks to the Sony Network viewers, urging them to choose from SPN's 'Happy India' pack, wherein the channel bouquets are simply packaged to allow the consumer to choose the best channel combinations (across genres) at the lowest possible price points. Our content has always brought joy to people and so will our 'Happy India' pack."

  • MIB extends feedback deadline date on mandatory sports feed sharing norms till 15 Jan

    MIB extends feedback deadline date on mandatory sports feed sharing norms till 15 Jan

    MUMBAI: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has extended the deadline to give feedback on the draft sports broadcasting signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharti) (Amendment) Bill, 2018 till 15 January 2019. The earlier deadline was 31 December 2018.

    In an earlier notification dated 17 October, it said that feedback must be given within a month to enable telecast of “Sporting events of national importance’ on mandatory channels of Doordarshan via cable/DTH/ IPTV operators.

    As per provisions of the Sports Act, the live feed received by Prasar Bharati from the content rights owners or holders is only for the purpose of re-transmission of the said signals on Doordarshan’s own terrestrial and DTH network (DD FreeDish) and not for cable operators or other distribution networks. The ad sales is also done by private companies after taking the pubcaster into confidence with the additional ad revenue shared between the rights holding TV channel and DD.

    Viewers, who do not have DD FreeDish [pubcaster Doordarshan’s FTA DTH platform] or Doordarshan’s terrestrial network, are either unable to watch these sporting events of national importance or are compelled to watch these sporting events on highly priced sports channels.

    Additonally, private DTH platforms and MSOs/LCOs were barred from showing DD's non-terrestrial channels that re-transmitted the shared feeds, after the August 2017 Supreme Court ruling, for the duration of that particular event and it was stressed upon also by Prasar Bharati fearing adverse reaction from the apex court.

    The extension notice reads: “Reference this Ministry’s earlier notice dated 17.10.2018 seeking feedback / comments on Draft Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharti) (Amendment) Bill, 2018 and the notice dated 09.11.2018 to extend the deadline upto 31.12.2018 for receiving feedback/comments from General Public/Stakeholders on the said draft Bill, 2018. It is informed that the deadline for receiving feedback/comments from General Public/Stakeholders on the said draft Bill, 2018 to enable telecast of ‘Sporting events of National importance’ on mandatory channels of Doordashan via Cable / DTH / IPTV Operators has been further extended by this Ministry till 15.01.2019.”

  • Ten events that shook television in 2018

    Ten events that shook television in 2018

    TV18 seized operational control of Viacom18

    India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani’s RIL rode the telecom, media and technology convergence wave better than most. The billionaire kick-started the year with a bang as he intensified TV18’s stake to 51 per cent by acquiring 1 per cent of Viacom18’s equity from Viacom Inc. for a cash consideration of $20 million. Viacom and Viacom18 also extended their brand and content license agreement by 10 years. That’s not all, RIL also pocketed a small but significant five per cent stake in content powerhouse Eros International.

    Consolidation in TV distribution

    The Indian market wasn’t exempted from the global merger frenzy. The coming together of two large DTH operators – Dish TV India and Videocon d2h – was finally concluded in 2018, creating the largest DTH service provider in the country with a subscriber base of about 29 million. One of the biggest attractions for Dish TV as the acquirer was Videocon’s significantly higher average revenue per user (ARPU). Significantly, the combined entity’s ARPU was Rs 207 in the second quarter as opposed to Dish TV’s standalone ARPU of Rs 144 pre-merger. The deal also helped Dish TV position itself better when it came to negotiating with broadcasters.

    Uday Shankar named Disney APAC boss

    A blockbuster deal that came through this year was the $71 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets, including Star India, by Disney. After a long and sustained bidding war with Comcast, the Mouse House got its hands on much of the Murdoch empire. Late in the evening of 13 December came the announcement that Uday Shankar would be taking over as chairman of Star and Disney India and president of the Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific. Under the new structure, has multiple Disney executives reporting into him. Having run circles around Disney in India, Uday now shoulders the responsibility of entertaining more than half the world’s population. More TV disruption guaranteed.

    Jio unveiled ominous FTTH plans

    From formally launching FTTH service Jio GigaFiber to acquiring majority stakes in two large MSOs to speed up the rollout, the Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio was definitely the centre of attention in 2018. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) made an investment of Rs 2,290 crore for 66 per cent stake in Den and Rs 2,940 crore for 51.3 per cent stake in Hathway. It will save RIL the cost of reaching out to customers as well as making the last mile connectivity easier in its ambitious bid of seizing control over India’s wired broadband business. As the Jio juggernaut marked its entry into India’s multi-billion-dollar cable TV and DTH businesses, traditional players eyed the development with a healthy mix of skepticism and optimism.

    OTT streaming gathered momentum

    When it came to content, OTT platforms captured the zeitgeist of 2018. Premium digital video content was relentlessly rolled out by the likes of Amazon Prime, Netflix, ALT Balaji, Hotstar, Voot and Zee5, keeping the audiences hooked at all times. Naturally, the band of programmers at some of India’s biggest broadcast networks felt the heat as a new wave of content competition hit India. Heads of Hindi GECs pulled out all stops in order to stay ahead of the game and keep their viewers happy. Thankfully for them, the cord-cutting trend, prevalent in several countries, didn’t grab India’s undivided attention. However, the sheer scale and quality of OTT content audiences were exposed to this year should be a cause for worry entertainment channels.

    Stalwarts made intriguing moves

    It was also a year of full surprises for the Hindi GECs, especially on the leadership front. Top-notch industry executives decided to call it quits including veteran Colors CEO Raj Nayak who dropped the bombshell of his Viacom18 exit after a distinguished seven-year stint with the media and entertainment conglomerate. Another prominent personality Discovery India and South Asia head Karan Bajaj also called it a day. Industry insiders believe the bespectacled Bajaj timed his exit to perfection, stepping aside when it mattered most. Both of them haven’t hinted at what gigs they are likely to take up next. Another heavyweight – Deepak Rajadhyaksha – who was heading Zee TV, turned to Viacom18 with his mantle being handed over to the broadcaster’s English cluster head Aparna Bhosle.

    Regional forces staged forward

    As far as content consumption was concerned, regional content too made its mark this year. While Hindi language consumption remains the country’s preferred choice, growth was fastidiously led by regional content. Backing this up with some facts, it was reported that the daily tune-ins on TV by the HSM led to 68.4 per cent, whereas in the South market it led to 78.3 per cent. Simultaneously, the advertisement expenditure in FY18, Hindi GECs declined by nine per cent as compared to an increase of 5.4 per cent in on regional channels. This was in line with growing investments made by broadcasting majors in the expansion of their regional offerings.

    Television business retained rhythm

    Channels continued to be launched in 2018 with almost all networks rolling out new offerings in regional languages – a trend which began over 2016 and 2017. Colors Tamil, Sony Marathi, Star Sports 3, Zee Keralam among others were unfurled for viewers by the major players. What's keeping broadcasters buoyant is the annual expansion in advertising continues unabated at about nine to 10 per cent annually. So, though traditional pay TV is not dead yet and will continue to grow in India as the saturation point is still far from over (BARC India estimates there are about 197 million TV homes in India over 100 million still to be covered), traditional media players have realised OTT and other forms of digital delivery of video — professional or user-generated — will continue to grow and put pressures on ARPUs and other numbers as more Indians take to smartphones and devises with broadband infrastructure slowly improving and cost of data plummeting in the short term.

    Tariff order turbulence

    TRAI’s new tariff regime, proposed first quarter 2017, continued to cast a shadow in 2018 with confusion relating to some aspects (like a 15 per cent cap on discounts to consumers for TV channels) lingering on like an unfinished record playing out discordant notes. While TRAI has sought clarification from the Supreme Court on the discount issue (the next hearing is sometime in January 2019), it has simultaneously cracked the whip on broadcasters and distribution platforms to fall in line with its new tariff regime by end of the present year.

    Major overhaul in the offing at ZEEL

    Subhash Chandra and family along with its advisors met in Mumbai over the Diwali weekend to undertake a strategic review of its businesses in view of the changing global media landscape. It was decided to undertake a strategic review of Essel's shareholding in ZEEL with a view to maximize value for the business. The proposed transaction to divest up to 50% of Essel's holding to such a strategic partner. Essel appointed Goldman Sachs Securities (India) Ltd. as their investment banker and US and European based LionTree as an international strategic advisor for this exercise. Essel expects the outcome of the strategic review to be concluded by March/April 2019.

  • A year when OTT onward march & TRAI tariff issue hogged limelight

    A year when OTT onward march & TRAI tariff issue hogged limelight

    MUMBAI: 2018 could have been easily dubbed as the Indian year digital or OTT, with its chaotic growth continuing and multi-million dollars being poured into programming by global and local players, however, the new tariff and regulatory regime for the broadcast and cable sector occupied as much mind space.

    Though these are early days for a sure shot business model for digital space emerging as players continue to experiment with AVOD, SVOD and combination of several other models, there’s no denying OTT has more than a foot inside the door in India.  

    According to a report by market research firm Media Partners Asia, online video revenue, comprising net ad spend and subscription fees, will grow at an 18 per cent CAGR across Asia Pacific between 2018 and 2023, climbing from $21 billion 2018 to $48 billion by 2023. While China will account for the lion’s share of industry value, with more than 60 per cent of Asia Pacific online video revenue and more than 75 per cent of direct-to-consumer SVOD subs by 2023, other big markets by revenue would include India, Japan, Australia, Korea and Taiwan.

    So, though traditional pay TV is not dead yet and will continue to grow in India as the saturation point is still far from over (BARC India estimates there are about 197 million TV homes in India over 100 million still to be covered), traditional media players have realised OTT and other forms of digital delivery of video — professional or user generated — will continue to grow and put pressures on ARPUs and other numbers as more Indians take to smartphones and devises with broadband infrastructure slowly improving and cost of data plummeting in the short term.

    The inroads into India in 2018 made by Chinese mobile companies have been impressive while raising fears of tracking and data misuse too.

    “With 160 million shipments of smartphones in 2019, apart from being the only market to grow in this sector, India will also be the most potential market for global content creators,” Zeel MD Punit Goenka tweeted last week. This observation is testimony to traditional media players waking up to the competition from OTT platforms for eyeballs.

    The growth of online platforms also means the continued search for both original and library content too will grow as it did in 2018. Not only global players like Netflix and Amazon announced big-budget investment in original content starring leading Hindi film stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan, local companies too have upped the ante realising the potential of the digital space. Star India’s digital arm Hotstar claimed 100 million viewers for the IPL cricket and ZEE5 has come out with some refreshing non-fictional programming.

    If online video distribution is growing in India, so has the demand for content regulation. Even as Indian policy-makers struggle to understand the business model(s) for digital players, the cry for regulation to suit Indian sensibilities (or lack of it) too has increased. Netflix Indian original Sacred Games is still fighting out a legal case, while informal warnings have gone to other Indian OTT platform too to tone down edgy programming being streamed.

    Bouncing amongst several government organisations (MIB, TRAI and Meity), the issue of online content regulation was a hotly debated topic in India with a large section of the industry pushing for self-regulation like those prevailing for TV content.

    If not in 2018, some sort of content regulation for online video will definitely come. The only thing that matters is whether in 2018 or it will be post general election in 2019.

    The action in the online video segment and its delivery mode was catalysed by the arrival of Reliance Jio that has expanded from just being a player to becoming a behemoth in a short period of time, handing out services at comparatively low prices. The rollout of Jio Giga fibre network in 2018 has sharply woken up legacy distribution players, including telcos who went on a partnership spree to source content.   

    And, if the regulators in India struggled with the issue of online  content, TRAI’s new tariff regime, proposed first quarter 2017, continued to cast a shadow in 2018 with confusion relating to some aspects (like a 15 per cent cap on discounts to consumers for TV channels) lingering on like a unfinished record playing out discordant notes. While TRAI has sought clarification from the Supreme Court on the discount issue (the next hearing is sometimes in January 2019), it has simultaneously cracked the whip on broadcasters and distribution platforms to fall in line with its new tariff regime by end of the present year.

    The formulation of a new telecom policy or the National Digital Communication Policy 2018 could also be said to be a milestone as India stopped just short of creating a mega communications regulator overseeing the realms of TV broadcast, online and telecoms, depending on having increased synergies amongst these segments and their regulatory regimes.

    Increased mergers & acquisitions seen in 2018 would continue consolidating the market and players. But such activities also raised doubts on possible creation of monopolies. Disney takeover of most of the media businesses of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox, including Asia biggie Star, played out in India too even as Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries and its various arms went on a shopping spree buying sizable stakes in content makers (Balaji Telefilms, Eros, for example), distribution platforms (Hathway, DEN Networks) and other media assets. That Subhash Chandra-founded Zee too is looking for an investor spiced up the mergers and acquisitions space.

    Channels continued to be launched in 2018 with almost all networks rolling out new offerings in regional languages – a trend which began over 2016 and 2017. Colors Tamil, Sony Marathi, Star Sports 3, Zee Keralam were unfurled for viewers by the major players. What's keeping broadcasters buoyant is the annual expansion in advertising continues unabated at about nine to 10 per cent annually. 

    While legacy media players (like cable TV, MSOs/LCOs, DTH) in India have started a fight for survival and improved bottomlines in the aftermath of online’s growth, the #MeToo effect in 2018 did not leave the media and entertainment untouched.

    Though #MeToo in 2018 more impacted the advertising and film segments with some big names becoming casualties, the ripple effect in the broadcast sector was low. But the movement has opened up a can of worms in the Indian media, entertainment and advertising segments.

    The industry is on tenterhooks in an election year, wondering whether the BJP or NDA will make a comeback in April-May 2019 or yield to the Congress. Will the policy regime continue or will there be changes? These are questions that seem to be creasing many a brow. 

    But on the whole, will the trends continue in 2019? Of course, yes as it too promises to be quite a roller-coaster.

  • QYOU Media joins hands with Airtel Digital TV

    QYOU Media joins hands with Airtel Digital TV

    MUMBAI: QYOU Media has announced that it has partnered with Airtel Digital TV, the DTH arm of Bharti Airtel (Airtel), to bring The Q India’s 24/7 linear stream of digital first content to Indian homes. Airtel Digital TV customers can now consume The Q India’s content that has been curated from top creators in the region, as part of their monthly DTH pack.

    With the average Indian consumer increasingly watching short-form video content on social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook each month, there is growing opportunity to engage customers with short form content on a regular basis. Airtel Digital TV, which reaches over 14 million homes across India, is bringing The Q India to its platform to leverage this trend. The Q India will be available on channel number#125 on Airtel digital TV and will be broadcast in Hindi.

    Bharti Airtel director – DTH and CEO Sunil Taldar said, “We are constantly innovating to add greater value for customers and enhance their TV experience on our platform. We are always working towards bringing new content and relevant programming for our customers. With this partnership with QYOU Media, we aim to bring the growing trend of short form video consumption to homes on their TV.”

    With this partnership, The Q India will continue to expand the viewership reach for its premium content coming from India’s leading digital content creators. The Q India is a 24/7 linear service stream of premium curated content that launched in December 2017 and is aimed at Young Indians (20-30 years). The service has established content partnerships that include some of the most watched and influential digital content creators in India. Content featuring The Q India include the popular web-series; Official Chukyagiri, What The Folks and Being Indian as well as curated episodes from leading digital programs in India, including: 101 India, Pocket Aces, Comic Wallah and BLUSH.

    The Q India GM and co-founder Sunder Aaron said, “Young Indians have been lacking a general entertainment brand or service that speaks directly to them. Our mission at The Q India is to address this need with a powerfully relevant service proposition that is entirely unique in proposition, programming the best Indian video content from digital creators who are streaming across platforms. We are delighted to join Airtel, and happy that both platform and advertising partners are beginning to recognise the potential The Q India offers them to reach millions of millennial and gen Z digital savvy viewers in their sub base who are now able to enjoy India’s best digital content through The Q India service.”

  • Respite for Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV, Discovery as TRAI assures no action till 10 Jan

    Respite for Tata Sky, Airtel Digital TV, Discovery as TRAI assures no action till 10 Jan

    MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) operators  Tata Sky, Bharti Telemedia-owned Airtel Digital TV and Discovery Communication India were handed a breather on Wednesday after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) assured the Delhi High Court that it will not take any action against the trio until January 10, which is when the matter is scheduled to be heard next.

    Tata Sky is unlikely to upload its RIO for now unlike Discovery, which has already published the same on its website.

    Irrespective of the respite, the regulator’s counsel argued that the DTH operators must implement the TRAI order and regulations.

    A source familiar with the matter added that Discovery has complied with TRAI’s tariff order and regulations under protest.

    In 2017, Bharti Telemedia, Tata Sky and Discovery Communication India had filed petitions against TRAI, challenging its tariff order and the interconnect regulations.

    Unlike the position adopted by Star India wherein it questioned the regulatory powers of TRAI, the matter in the Delhi HC questions on the regulator’s power to wipe out deals that operators enter into to fix commissions and rates for customers.

    While the fate of the two DTH operators hangs in the balance in this matter, all other distribution platform operators (DPOs) continue to be bound by the tariff order.

    TRAI on Tuesday cautioned stakeholders against spreading  “concocted and fabricated facts” against its new tariff directive while releasing a list of TV channels along with their respective maximum retail prices as per information received from broadcasters.

    The TRAI statement insisted that the new tariff regime will bring about more transparency in the eco-system by “separating the network capacity fee and pay channel price” and added any “malpractice” from service providers will compel the regulator to intervene.

    Pointing out that a section of the broadcasting and cable industry was creating confusion by insinuating the new tariff regime will increase the monthly cost of consumers for watching television by making inaccurate comparisons, TRAI said comparisons were “skewed” and far from the “market discovered” prices of TV channels.

    Though the Pune Cable Operators Association a few days back said it’d move the Bombay High Court against TRAI’s new tariff regime as it could hurt LCOs’ earnings as also consumers, the regulator allayed such fears saying comparisons were not based on “reasoned analysis” and the standard interconnect agreements protected the revenue model of LCOs.

    The regulator also released the maximum retail price of 332 pay channels offered by broadcasters to subscribers.

    As per the  MRP list released by TRAI, NHK World Premium’s HD version is the costliest TV channel in the group at a stated price of Rs 1,800.

    Though most TV channels are running against time to meet the year-end deadline to disclose MRPs and also conclude signing of agreements with distributing platforms, the issue of tariff is unlikely to settle down soon as TRAI itself has filed a petition in the Supreme Court to get clarifications on the issue of 15 per cent cap on discounts on channel pricing. 

  • Tata Sky offers 44% discount for new subscribers

    Tata Sky offers 44% discount for new subscribers

    MUMBAI: As part of a festive offer, direct-to-home (DTH) service provider Tata Sky is offering up to 44 per cent discount for new subscribers in the country. The DTH company is offering 44 per cent discount on the Semi-Annual Dhamaka Super Pack and 42 per cent discount on HD Monthly Ultra Pack.

    According to news reports, the Semi-Annual Dhamaka Super Pack will come at a price of Rs 2,999 opposed to its original price of Rs 5,350. The pack offers 246 SD channels along with 24 HD channels and services. With this, users will also be able to use the Tata Sky mobile app for free on two devices.

    The HD Monthly Ultra Pack will come at a price of Rs 1,690 opposed to its original price of Rs 2935. The new pack will offer 241 SD channels along with 55 HD channels and services. Subscribers will also get two regional packs for free with the purchase of this plan. And just as the above pack, users will be able to use the Tata Sky mobile app for free on two devices.

  • Dish TV partners MediaKind to upgrade infrastructure

    Dish TV partners MediaKind to upgrade infrastructure

    MUMBAI: DTH company Dish TV India, in partnership with MediaKind, has strengthened its infrastructure capabilities to enhance the customer TV viewing experience in India. Dish TV has upgraded and expanded its entire DTH platform to MediaKind’s AVP 4000 video processing platform to deliver enhanced, next-generation immersive experience to its 23.5 million subscribers in the country. The new platform will also assist in delivering cost efficiencies through better bandwidth utilisation.

    With this, DishTV will operate MediaKind’s award-winning compression headend technology, which will enable the company to evolve and adapt to both traditional broadcast and multiscreen service delivery from a single platform. The platform, which includes MediaKind’s AVP 4000 System Encoder, allows DishTV to serve satellite operations for both of its brands and caters to the evolving needs of its subscribers.

    Commenting on the announcement, DishTV India Ltd group CEO Anil Dua said, “As the leading DTH provider in India, we are always looking for new ways to deliver high quality viewing experience to our millions of customers. We are delighted to strengthen our longstanding partnership with MediaKind and leverage its compression technology heritage which extends more than 25 years. Through the deployment of MediaKind’s AVP technology, we can provide the highest video quality for our consumers alongside greater bandwidth efficiencies, thus enabling us to cost-effectively deliver the next-generation services to our subscribers.”

    Speaking on this, MediaKind CEO Angel Ruiz said, “The media landscape is constantly shifting and service providers need to continually adapt to deliver the highest quality media experiences for consumers. At the same time, the increased competition from pure-play online providers means it’s necessary to do this as cost-effectively as possible. We are delighted to extend our relationship with DishTV and to continue evolving its service offering in one of the world’s largest video markets. Through the deployment of our state-of-the-art AVP 4000 system, DishTV will benefit from significant cost efficiencies and have the opportunity to launch new and highly compelling viewing experiences.”

    This latest deployment will enhance DishTV’s operational efficiency by unifying the control and management of its two headends in an orchestrated manner. This will also allow DishTV to increase its satellite bandwidth efficiency and deliver superior picture quality to its subscribers, thus fulfilling the rising consumer demand for high quality media content choice.