ITV

Tag: Music Channels

  • NTO 2.0: Times Network publishes new RIO

    NTO 2.0: Times Network publishes new RIO

    Mumbai: Times Network has published its reference interconnection offer (RIO) issued under telecommunications (broadcasting and cable) services interconnection (addressable systems) regulations, 2017 for all distribution platforms. The new RIO will be effective from 1 December onwards. 

    The tariffs for TV channels mentioned in the RIO adhere to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) new tariff order (NTO) 2.0.

    Times Network owns and operates 13 channels including its flagship news channels Times Now, ET Now, Mirror Now, Times Now World HD, Times Now Navbharat HD, and ET Now Swadesh. Its entertainment offering includes music channel Zoom, English film channels Movies Now, Movies Now HD, Romedy Now, MN+ HD, MNX, and MNX HD. The broadcaster is offering eight bouquets under the new RIO.

    The implementation of the new tariff order 2.0 is on hold as broadcasters under the aegis of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) have challenged the Trai order in the Supreme Court. The final hearing on the matter is scheduled for 30 November.

  • Chrome Week 19: English News channels genre emerge as top gainer

    Chrome Week 19: English News channels genre emerge as top gainer

    MUMBAI: English News channels genre appeared on top in Chrome’s opportunity to see (OTS) analysis for the eight metros. This space marked an increase of 1.8 per cent and saw Lok Sabha TV as the leader with 93.7 per cent OTS in week 19.

     The former was followed by Infotainment with 1.3 per cent gain across all India. History TV 18 topped with 84.6 per cent OTS. Hindi Movies in Hindi Speaking Market (HSM) took the third spot in the list of top gainers with 0.7 per cent increase in OTS. Max led the tally with 91.9 per cent OTS.

    Music genre in HSM also noted a growth of 0.6 per cent. 9X M emerged as the chart topper with 89.1 per cent OTS.

     English Entertainment witnessed a drop of 2.2 per cent in the eight metros; it topped the loser category with Zee Café scoring 47.7 per cent OTS. With a drop of 1.8 per cent, Business News channels genre in six metros booked the second spot. CNBC Awaz emerged as the most affected channel with 80.4 per cent OTS.

    The English Movies category in six metros also observed a decline of 1.7 per cent. Movies Now topped the list with 53.0 per cent OTS. The last spot was taken by the Youth genre with a drop of 1.1 percent in Hindi Speaking Market. Channel V grabbed the top position with 88.2 per cent OTS.

  • Chrome Week 19: English News channels genre emerge as top gainer

    Chrome Week 19: English News channels genre emerge as top gainer

    MUMBAI: English News channels genre appeared on top in Chrome’s opportunity to see (OTS) analysis for the eight metros. This space marked an increase of 1.8 per cent and saw Lok Sabha TV as the leader with 93.7 per cent OTS in week 19.

     The former was followed by Infotainment with 1.3 per cent gain across all India. History TV 18 topped with 84.6 per cent OTS. Hindi Movies in Hindi Speaking Market (HSM) took the third spot in the list of top gainers with 0.7 per cent increase in OTS. Max led the tally with 91.9 per cent OTS.

    Music genre in HSM also noted a growth of 0.6 per cent. 9X M emerged as the chart topper with 89.1 per cent OTS.

     English Entertainment witnessed a drop of 2.2 per cent in the eight metros; it topped the loser category with Zee Café scoring 47.7 per cent OTS. With a drop of 1.8 per cent, Business News channels genre in six metros booked the second spot. CNBC Awaz emerged as the most affected channel with 80.4 per cent OTS.

    The English Movies category in six metros also observed a decline of 1.7 per cent. Movies Now topped the list with 53.0 per cent OTS. The last spot was taken by the Youth genre with a drop of 1.1 percent in Hindi Speaking Market. Channel V grabbed the top position with 88.2 per cent OTS.

  • Adcap case adjourned to 24 July; broadcasters hope govt will reverse earlier order

    Adcap case adjourned to 24 July; broadcasters hope govt will reverse earlier order

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has adjourned the petition by the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and others challenging the advertising cap of 12 minutes per hour sought to be imposed by the government to 24 July.

     

    The NBA and regional broadcasters along with music channels informed the court about recent developments vis-?-vis the new government and highlighted the fact that they were awaiting the government’s response against their joint representation.

     

    The Court agreed to the adjournment in order to give some more time for the aggrieved broadcasters and government to represent and decide an amicable solution amongst themselves.

     

    The order that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will not take any action against any channel pending the petition will continue. In an earlier hearing, the Court had, at the regulator’s instance, directed that all channels keep a record of the advertisements run by them.

     

    TRAI sought to tell the Court that the matter had been pending for long, but the bench headed by Chief Justice G Rohini said if the matter could be resolved, then it was better to give more time.

     

    For the broadcasters, this is a major relief even Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley recently voiced his views against an ad cap on broadcasters.

     

    The NBA had challenged the ad cap rule, contending that TRAI does not have jurisdiction to regulate commercial airtime on television channels.

     

    Apart from the NBA, the petition have been filed by Sarthak Entertainment, Pioneer Channel Factory, E24 Glamoru, Sun TV Network, TV Vision, B4U Broadband, 9X Media, Kalaignar, Celebrities Management, Eanadu Television and Raj Television.

     

    The news and regional broadcasters fear that the capping of commercial airtime will curtail their ad revenues. They also argue that the ad cap must be brought only after the benefits of cable TV digitisation start showing.

     

  • Chrome Data: Religious channels lead the chart in week 52

    Chrome Data: Religious channels lead the chart in week 52

    MUMBAI: It’s ironical to note that in the week when everybody is up for some celebration – partying, enjoying and vacationing – the viewership of religious channels have increased. Is it that the elders at home have got an easy access to the channels they want to watch in the absence of the younger members of the family? Or, is it that people at large want to wash off their sins at the yearend by spending some time in spiritual viewing?

    Whatever the reasons may be, we are saying all this because in the week 52 of Chrome opportunity to see (OTS), the religious channels are leading the chart. The genre gained 1.5 per cent as per the data provided by Chrome Data Analytics & Media. Among all the religious channels, Aastha ruled with 98.3 per cent in the Hindi speaking markets (HSM).

    And not that the viewers just enjoyed the bhajans and spiritual lessons, they were in for some musical retreat as well. The music channels were at the second position in the week 52. The music genre in the HSM gained 0.5 per cent with Sony Mix ahead of other channels with 88.5 per cent OTS.

    The Kids genres across India and English news channels in the eight metros didn’t witness much change as compared to last week. However, the genres were in the top four. While Cartoon Network leads in the kids’ genre with 87.3 per cent, Times Now led in the news category with 90.4 per cent OTS.

    As for the bottom four, English entertainment channels saw a huge drop with 3.8 per cent in the eight metros. Star World overtook AXN to gain the first position with 81.1 per cent.

    The business channels couldn’t grab the viewers attention even after special line-ups featuring the high and low points of the year 2013. The genre in the eight metros saw 1.9 per cent drop with CNBC Awaaz leading the way with 83.8 per cent.

    English movie channels and Hindi news channels in the eight metros and HSM, respectively, saw a dip with former witnessing a drop by 0.6 per cent and latter by 0.4 per cent. Pix was at the top with 88.4 per cent, while Aaj Tak registered 94.6 per cent OTS.

  • TDSAT ad cap: All arguments done

    TDSAT ad cap: All arguments done

    MUMBAI: It has been a long three weeks of hearings at Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal in the ad cap case between the News Broadcasters Association and other channels versus the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). Several arguments went back and forth between all the parties and, finally, it has come to an end.

     

    The last day saw the music channels, Polimer Media and TRAI give their rejoinders. Polimer Media’s rejoinder was that Article 19 1 a of the Constitution does not apply in this case since it is not a writ petition. It also said that pay channels and FTA channels cannot be treated the same.

     

    The music channels’ counsel Ramji Srinivasan argued that TRAI cannot use both section 36 and section 11 of the TRAI act for the regulation and now do a flip and call it a direction. If TRAI did want to frame the regulation, it should have done so under section 36 and not used multiple sections from multiple acts.

     

    However the music channels’ counsel said that they do have a license from the TRAI but if the regulator wants to use it then it needs to to apply section 7 (11) of the Cable TV Networks act strictly without additions or subtractions.

     

    He also presented data showing the effect the ad cap will have on their revenues. He said that channels in this genre will need to resort to a 30 per cent hike in ad rates if the cap does come into effect.

     

    Srinivasan said that amicus curiae Aman Ahluwalia had said that news channels will be severely affected by ad cap since their viewership is low; similarly the music channels are also in danger since they are are also niche with a limited viewership. And hence the ad regulation should not be applied to anyone at all.

     

    Finally the TRAI gave its rejoinder clarifying that it has framed a regulation under section 36 of the TRAI act and if the TDSAT feels it is a direction then it is not impeded in saying so. However the regulator maintained that it is not a direction, it is a regulation.

     

    The TDSAT is supposed to announce its judgement on the case.

  • What the music channels said on the ad cap issue

    What the music channels said on the ad cap issue

    MUMBAI: After the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) presented its side of the story, it was the turn of the music channels to present their case in the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) regarding the troublesome 12 minute ad cap regulation that is being enforced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
        

    The hearing that went on for two days (Monday and Tuesday) had the music channels counsel speaking on behalf of the four music channels – 9XM, B4U, M Tunes and Mastiii. The main point raised was violation of Article 14 of the constitution of India by the TRAI. The Article states: “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth”.
     

    According to counsel, the TRAI is violating Article 14 by putting all the channels in the same basket. There are different types of broadcasters delivering both free to air and pay channels in the genres of news, sports, music etc. It is inappropriate to be treating ‘unequals as equals’ by classifying all channels in the same category, counsel emphasized. To support his argument, he said that FTA channels don’t get subscription revenue and work on purely advertising while pay channels have the benefit of both.
     

    Apart from this, other issues raised during the hearing were similar to the ones the NBA counsel had raised such as the jurisdiction of the TRAI to come out with such a regulation, unregulated and high carriage fees and high cost of content production.
     

    There is a long list of channels that will now present their cases in front of the TDSAT bench of Justice Aftab Ahmed and member Kuldip Singh including Reliance Big Broadcasting, Sun TV Network, Raj TV, E24 Glamour, Eenadu Television and Polimer Media.
     

    After this, TRAI will defend itself. The hearing is set to continue today.
     

    This is surely one case that will take much time to resolve.

  • TRAI directed not to implement ad cap for music channels

    TRAI directed not to implement ad cap for music channels

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was today directed not to take any coercive action against four music television channels with regards to ad cap.

    Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) member Kuldip Singh after hearing counsel Kunal Tandon directed the matter to come up for further hearing on 21 October.

    The petitions were filed on behalf of Mastiii (owned by TV Vision, Mumbai), B4U, 9X Media, M Tunes HD and Music Xpress.

    Earlier, TDSAT had accepted a similar petition by the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) which challenged the constitutional validity of the regulations of TRAI enforcing the ad cap. That petition has been listed for hearing on 11 November.

    The Tribunal said while the channels will maintain weekly records of the advertising time per hour on a weekly basis, they will not be required to submit this to the regulator. Unlike the current practice, the records will only be submitted to TDSAT at the time of the hearing of the case.

    At that time, Counsel A J Bhambani for the NBA had said that a delegation of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) had submitted a formula to the regulator but that did not preclude the broadcasters from challenging the validity of the regulations.

    He also said that this was only a compromise reached between the broadcasters and the regulator and could not form the basis of penal action since it was not a regulation or legal provision.