Mumbai: Indiacast, the distribution company jointly owned by TV18 and Viacom18, has published its new reference interconnect offer (RIO) in compliance with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) new tariff order (NTO) 2.0 effective from 1 April.
The revised RIO contains the a-la-carte and bouquet prices of 59 channels owned and operated by Network18, TV18, and Viacom18. The RIO contains the MRP of the new sports channels launched by Viacom18 tentatively named Sports18 and Sports18 HD and priced at Rs 12.
As per clause 23 (a) of the RIO, “The availability of Sports18 and Sports18 HD channels (Sports18 channels), as well as bouquets comprising of Sports18 channels, are dependent on introduction of Sports18 channels.”
“In case TV18 decides not to introduce and/or there are any changes in the introduction date of Sports18 channels, then intimation of the same will be sent by TV18 to affiliate in writing,” it added.
“In case of any change in introduction date of Sports18 channels, then the availability of Sports18 channels as well as bouquets comprising of Sports18 channels shall be effective the last intimated date of introduction of Sports18 channels.”
“Further, until the introduction of Sports18 channels, the validity of the remainder provisions of this agreement shall not be affected and any stipulations so far as they are related to Sports18 channels will come into force only from the date of introduction of the Sports18 channels.”
Viacom18 channels, including their flagship GECs – Colors (Rs 21), Colors HD (Rs 23); their regional language channels – Colors Kannada (Rs 21), Colors Kannada HD (Rs 23), and Colors Marathi HD (Rs 17) will not be included in any bouquet. As per NTO 2.0, Trai mandated that a channels’ MRP must not exceed Rs 12 for it to be included in any bouquet. The broadcaster has also intimated affiliates its free-to-air channel Colors Cineplex Bollywood will be converted into a pay channel effective from 1 April and will be priced at Rs 0.10.
