ITV

Tag: reference interconnection offer

  • Trai asks broadcasters, DPOs to comply with interconnection agreements regulations

    Trai asks broadcasters, DPOs to comply with interconnection agreements regulations

    Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has asked broadcasters and distributors of TV channels to immediately implement the provisions of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Register of Interconnection Agreements and all such other matters Regulations, 2019.

    The regulator has asked broadcasters and distributors to submit the compliance report within 15 days from the date of issue of the letter on 8 December failing which actions would be taken as per provisions of the said regulations and the Trai Act, 1997.

    The regulations were supposed to come into force on 2 January 2020 but were challenged by the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) in the Kerala high court. The high court in its order dated 9 January 2020 had ordered that no coercive action will be taken by the respondents.

    The court disposed of the said writ petition, in its judgement dated 12 July, and partially set aside the provisions of the said regulations to the extent they require registration of placement/marketing agreements. Thus, all the provisions of the said regulations, except to the extent they require registration of placement/marketing agreements, are in operation.

    The regulator had developed a B&CS integrated portal system (BIPS) for the purpose of filing data/details pertaining to the said regulations. The regulations require broadcasters and DPOs to furnish, via their compliance officer, its reference interconnection offers when the same is published on their websites.

    The regulations are applicable to all commercial and technical arrangements entered into by broadcasters, distributors of television channels and local cable operators for providing broadcasting services. If broadcasters and distributors default in complying with the provisions, then Trai would take action by imposing a financial disincentive.

  • Star and Disney India postpones new channel launches till further intimation

    Star and Disney India postpones new channel launches till further intimation

    Mumbai: Star and Disney India has deferred the launch of 15 (SD+HD) channels and renaming of one channel until further intimation.

    “This is to inform all distributors of television channels that the launch of following 15 channels and name change of following one channel have been deferred till further intimation by Star,” it said.

    The channel launches that have been held back include Star Gold Romance, Star Gold Thrills, Jalsha Josh, Star Movies Select, Pravah Pictures, Star Kirano, Star Sports 1 Tamil HD, Star Sports 1 Telugu HD, Disney Channel HD, Hungama HD, Star Gold 2 HD, Pravah Pictures HD, Vijay Super HD, Asianet Movies HD and Star Kirano HD. The renaming of Marvel HQ to Super Hungama has also been delayed till further notice.

    The broadcaster had published its new reference interconnection offer (RIO) on 15 October mentioning the new channels and declaring the new channel and bouquet pricing in compliance with the new tariff order (NTO) 2.0. Star planned to launch its new channels between December 2021 and January 2022.  

    The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) notified that it has extended the deadline for implementation of NTO 2.0 till 1 April 2022. In the meanwhile, broadcasters must revise their RIOs by 31 December and distribution platform operators must report their distribution retail price of pay channels and bouquets by 31 January 2022.

    The broadcasters’ association Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) and Trai have been embroiled in a legal battle on the matter of NTO 2.0 implementation. The final hearing of the Supreme Court on the matter is on 30 November.  

  • NTO 2.0: Discovery Communications India publishes new RIO

    NTO 2.0: Discovery Communications India publishes new RIO

    Mumbai: Discovery Communications India 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.

    The channel operates nine standard definition pay-TV channels and five high definition pay-TV channels. It is also offering eight bouquets to TV subscribers.

    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

  • NTO 2.0: ETV publishes new RIO effective 1 December

    NTO 2.0: ETV publishes new RIO effective 1 December

    Mumbai: Eenadu TV (ETV) 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.

    The channel operates 24 channels and is offering three bouquets to viewers. Its Telugu general entertainment channel ETV Telugu and ETV HD are priced greater than Rs 12. As per new tariff regime 2.0 order, Trai has mandated that a channel’s MRP must not exceed Rs 12 for it to be included in any bouquet.

    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.

  • NTO 2.0: Sun TV Network publishes new RIO

    NTO 2.0: Sun TV Network publishes new RIO

    Mumbai: Sun TV Network has filed 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 6 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.

    The network operates 23 pay-TV standard definition channels, eight high definition pay channels, and two free to air channels. It is also offering 21 bouquets. Tamil general entertainment channel (GEC) Sun TV, Telugu GEC Gemini TV, and Kannada GEC Udaya TV tariffs are greater than Rs 12.

    As per the new tariff regime 2.0 order, Trai has mandated that a channel’s MRP must not exceed Rs 12 for it to be included in any bouquet.

    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.

  • 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.

  • NTO 2.0: MSOs asks Trai to reject new RIOs published by broadcasters

    NTO 2.0: MSOs asks Trai to reject new RIOs published by broadcasters

    Mumbai: The Tamil Nadu Digital Cable TV Operators Association has  sent a legal notice to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) asking it to reject the new reference interconnection offers (RIO) published by broadcasters. The Association has also sought Trai’s intervention in asking broadcasters to reduce channel prices as it “will cause irreparable loss to the entire industry”.

    Major broadcasters including Disney Star India, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Sony Pictures Networks India, and TV18 Broadcast Ltd, had published their new RIOs over the weekend starting from 15 October (Dussehra) with the new a-la-carte pay channel and bouquet pricing that adheres to Trai’s new tariff order (NTO) 2.0.

    The broadcasters had hiked the prices of their driver channels and pulled them from all their bouquets as Trai’s NTO 2.0 provisions mandated an MRP cap of Rs 12 for any pay channel to be included in a bouquet. The broadcasters are currently battling the Trai order in the Supreme Court stating that some of its provisions are arbitrary and outside the purview of the regulator. The final hearing is on 30 November.

    In its notice to Trai, the Association has stated that “major broadcasters have issued their RIOs where it can be calculated that majorly subscribed channels by the consumers will be inflated by 100 per cent to 200 per cent.”

    It added, “It is pertinent to mention here that during the situation when over-the-top service providers are trying to make their services more affordable to increase their subscriber base, the service providers of this industry will have to increase their rates substantially which will certainly cause loss of subscriber base of the local cable operators (LCOs) and multi-system operators (MSO).”

    These “excessive prices” will undoubtedly hurt the subscriber base of cable operators whose subscribers come from the rural areas of the country where income levels are comparatively lower. The MSO mentioned that any regulation/direction/order implemented by Trai should lead to the growth and development of service providers and consumers.

    “It is the contention of the Tamil Nadu Digital Cable TV Operators Association that the RIO published by Disney Star India has an illegal clause that requires MSOs to “continue the channels on the old LCNs and they cannot change it”. If new RIO is being asked to be implemented, then all its terms are liable to be renegotiated and the broadcaster cannot favourably keep the clauses of the old RIOs,” it said.

  • TV18 Broadcast publishes new RIO adhering to NTO 2.0

    TV18 Broadcast publishes new RIO adhering to NTO 2.0

    Mumbai: TV18 Broadcast Ltd has published its reference interconnection (RIO) offer 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. 

    The tariffs for a-la-carte channels and bouquets published in the RIO adhere to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) new tariff order (NTO) 2.0.

    Viacom18 network channels including their flagship Hindi GEC Colors, Kannada GEC Colors Kannada both SD and HD will be priced greater than Rs 12. As per NTO 2.0, Trai has mandated that a channel’s MRP must not exceed Rs 12 for it to be included in any bouquet. The aforementioned channels will not be part of any of the 39 bouquets offered by the broadcaster.

    The implementation of the new tariff order 2.0 has been halted 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.

  • Disney Star India likely to exit English GEC space

    Disney Star India likely to exit English GEC space

    Mumbai: Disney Star India is likely to phase out its English general entertainment channels Star World, Star World HD, and Star World Premiere HD, as per details in its reference interconnection offer (RIO) published on 15 October.

    The broadcaster published the tariffs of 78 channels out of which the English GECs were absent. According to Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India, the English GECs account for less than one per cent of total TV advertising spends. The fall of English GECs was first sounded when the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) implemented the new tariff regime that required subscribers to select only the TV channels that they actually watched.

    The migration of English viewers to OTT platforms and the pandemic that began last year has made the English GEC genre extremely unviable for Indian broadcasters from a business perspective.

    A response from the Star network is awaited and we will update this piece if we receive any.