In keeping with its nature of setting trends for the rest of the DTH industry to follow, Videocon d2h has added 6 new Asli “HD” channels taking their total count to 19, the highest among all its competitors. Videocon d2h strives to add value to television viewing experience by providing new age features and the maximum high definition channels with superior services and technology.

Videocon d2h is now offering the following 6 High Definition Channels: History TV HD, M Tunes HD, CNBC Prime HD, UTV Stars HD, Active 3D, Sony HD (starting 27th May), to add to its existing 13 Asli “HD” channels.

Now, more and more channels are commencing their HD feed taking the concept forward. Videocon d2h now offers maximum number of 368 channels and services. Videocon d2h strives to add value to television viewing experience by providing new age features and the maximum high definition channels with superior services and technology.

All the Asli High Definition channels which Videocon d2h have 1080i resolution, 5X Digital Picture Quality, HDD Sound with 16:9 wide aspect ratio and other features. Videocon d2h broadcasts these channels using the cutting edge MPEG -4 DVBS-2 compression technology.

Mr. Saurabh Dhoot – Director Videocon said “It feels highly ecstatic to be offering the highest number of Asli “HD” channels in the sector. Videocon d2h believes in presenting viewers the finest quality and transforming their television viewing experience and we are backing that with our product offering. The Asli “HD” channels offering across various genres right from entertainment, sports, infotainment, movies, business will take the entertainment quotient of a viewer to the next level”.

Videocon d2h has kept their promise of delivering quality services, continuously raising the bar and adding value to the viewer’s experience.

Mr Anil Khera CEO Videocon d2h, on the channel addition added “Videocon d2h believes in offering their customers the most premium content and by now offering highest number of 19 Asli “HD” channels, we have fulfilled our promise of surpassing expectations. Videocon d2h subscribers can now enjoy High Definition Channels of various genres much more than other DTH players. This promise of giving the best of channels and services across genres has built trust for brand Videocon d2h and we will continue striving to achieve customer delight.”

In addition, Videocon d2h is also the title partner of Kings XI Punjab for this season’s IPL and is showing DLF IPL in high definition on MAX HD for its viewers.

Source: afaqs!

NOIDA, India; May 16, 2012 – Dish TV India Limited (Dishtv) (BSE: 532839, NSE: DISHTV) today reported fourth quarter fiscal 2012 audited standalone revenues of Rs. 5,247 million, recording 21.2% growth over the corresponding period last fiscal. EBITDA of Rs. 1,442 million registered a significant 59.9% increase over the corresponding quarter last fiscal. EBITDA margin for the quarter stood at 27.5%.

The company today also reported audited results for the financial year ended on March 31, 2012.

The full year fiscal 2012 standalone revenues stood at Rs. 19,578 million, with an EBITDA of Rs. 4,984 million and EBITDA margin of 25.5%. Foreign exchange loss of Rs. 510 million impacted fiscal 2012 net loss of Rs. 1,588 million.

The Board of Directors in its meeting held today, has approved and taken on record the standalone audited results of Dish TV for the quarter ended on March 31, 2012 and the audited results for the financial year ended March 31, 2012.

Mr. Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Dish TV India Limited, said, “The fiscal gone by kept the World on tenterhooks as Global economic powerhouse’s feared collapse from worsening economic scenarios. India had its share of hiccups all along.”

“Mandatory digitization sets the stage for cleaning up and consolidation in the television industry at a time when inefficiencies have negligible scope in businesses and in economies,” he added.

“It enhances subscription opportunities for the DTH industry. What is more important though, is Digitization’s ability to trigger a much needed change in the overall ecosystem of the television distribution space, where key metrics like churn and ARPU will no longer be susceptible to the ills of analog cable. Dish TV remains well-positioned to leverage this catalyst for growth,” said Mr. Chandra.

Mr. Jawahar Goel, Managing Director, Dish TV, said, “TRAI’s recent tariff order is an indication of the regulator’s intent to go full throttle on the digitization mandate. Though the potential digital customer is still in a state of inertia, expecting last minute deferments, demand for digital boxes is expected to pick up speed closer to the sunset date.”

“Dish TV is all set for the Phase I opportunity and beyond and endeavors to retain its market share in an expanding digital universe. We believe that with its top of the mind recall and efficient ground infrastructure, Dish TV is likely to be one of the preferred choices of the potential digital consumer,” he added.

Commenting on the overall performance, Mr. Goel said, “While managing a trade-off between quality and quantity of new subscribers in the fiscal gone by, the DTH category witnessed a slowdown after a price hike at the entry level. The category added 10.5 million subscribers in fiscal 2012 compared to 13.3 million in the year before that. However, Dish TV witnessed a marked improvement in its key metrics after the price hike was initiated. With quality subscribers coming on board thereafter, Dish TV’s monthly churn number in the fourth quarter aligned with its internal benchmark.”

“In a bid to clear ambiguity around the revenue recognition of lease rentals, we have revised our accounting policy. Lease rental revenues would henceforth be recognized over a five year period and would be in line with depreciation of fixed assets,” said Mr. Goel.

Dish TV continues to invest in new technologies and content. The company recently launched ‘Dish truHD+’, an HD box capable of digital recording. ‘Dish truHD+’ lends a huge advantage over other DVR’s in the market by offering unlimited recording capacity, due to its compatibility with any external USB device, which enables consumers to simply plug and play and build an entire library of their favourite programmes.

With mandatory digitization flowing through urban markets in the first two phases of implementation and with increasing High Definition content being launched, HD services are likely to generate significant consumer interest going forward.

Dish TV India Limited continues to be the largest DTH Company in India and the whole of Asia Pacific and is one of the largest DTH platforms in the World.

Condensed statement of operations:

The table below shows the condensed statement of operations for Dish TV India Limited for the fourth quarter ended March ‘12 compared to the quarter ended December ‘11:
The table below shows the condensed consolidated statement of operations for Dish TV India Limited for FY 2012 versus FY 2011:
Expenditure:

Dish TV’s primary expenses include cost of goods and services, personnel cost, administrative cost, advertisement expenses and selling expenses. The table below shows each as a percentage of total revenue:

Should carriage fees in television be legitimised? This, it seems, is the main irritation that most broadcasters have with a new tariff order from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, or Trai. The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has raised its voice against it, and the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) too mentions it in an otherwise approving press release.

But, in fact, the legitimising of carriage fees is a masterstroke.

Think about it. Carriage fees are charged because India’s creaking cable system doesn’t have enough bandwidth. Once digitisation – which this tariff order is supposed to enable – is complete, there will be no bandwidth constraints. If there are no bandwidth constraints, why would multi-system operators (MSOs) or distributors charge carriage fees and why would anyone pay them? But till that happens, it is not a bad idea to allow MSOs, who bear the cost of digitisation, to continue charging carriage fees — albeit with caveats. It is a fair cost to pay for getting 100 per cent transparency, no revenue leakages, better pay revenues and more taxes in the future.

Therefore, the ruckus over the new order, which follows a law passed on mandatory digitisation last year, is unnecessary. This is the industry’s third attempt at digitisation in 12 years. If cable doesn’t go digital now, it will get marginalised — since this time it has competition in the form of direct-to-home (DTH). And if six DTH operators control a market that reaches 146 million homes and generates Rs 33,000 crore in revenues, it is not a healthy sign. This market needs competition between digital cable and DTH if consumers are to get a choice of TV distributors and better prices.

That is why it is imperative that the industry should keep aside its natural instinct to squabble about everything and get on with digitisation. The new tariff order simply does what the industry should have done by itself long ago — it forces transparency across the value chain from broadcasters to MSOs and cable operators.

It states, among other things, that cable operators have to sell a basic free-to-air bouquet of 100 channels at Rs 100. MSOs have to show how much carriage fees they are charging. The carriage fee has to be charged in a uniform, non-discriminatory manner and it cannot be raised for two years. And, in case it is “unreasonable”, broadcasters can turn to Trai. Broadcasters have to share revenues with MSOs in a predetermined ratio and MSOs have to share them with cable operators, also in a proportion decided by Trai.

These, among several other recommendations, make any special deals, undeclared cash and arm-twisting almost impossible. “The detailing of the reporting mechanism [in the order] ensures that the slush nature of the business gets addressed,” says Uday Shankar, CEO of Star India. He is also the president of the IBF.

For those who came in late, here’s a quick recap. Haphazard hyper-growth, poor regulation and short-sighted broadcasters have made the world’s second-largest TV market a structural nightmare. Of the Rs 15,000 crore collected on the ground by cable operators, 80 per cent leaks away as undeclared cash. This leaves the broadcasters gasping for pay revenues, especially at a time when advertising is slowing down.

Meanwhile, over the last 10 years, bandwidth constraints have given rise to carriage fees — a charge by MSOs and operators for carrying a channel. It also explains how MSOs have survived with so little cash coming back to them.

The only way out of the mess is digitisation. A digital set-top box increases capacity 10 times. That means instead of 100 channels, a cable operator can now offer 1,000 channels. So, late last year, the government amended the Cable Television Act. It is now mandatory to sell TV signals through an addressable digital set-top box. By June 30 this year all the four metros should be digital, and by December 2014, all of India.

By legitimising carriage fee, yet making it uniform and non-discriminatory, the regulator has in one stroke cut both broadcasters and MSOs down to size. It tells broadcasters that MSOs, who will foot the bill till consumers start paying for their set-top boxes, need financial legroom.

On the other hand, it also caps carriage fees. MSOs cannot charge crazy amounts from new or niche channels. It also states that MSOs cannot insist on getting a popular channel if they don’t have bandwidth. Trai has directed MSOs to build bandwidth for at least 500 channels till April 2013. Once it is there, the need for carriage fees goes away.

What the order does is take away any excuse a stakeholder might have for not digitising. Can we get on with it now?

Source: Business Standard

NEW DELHI: Multi-system operators taking up digitisation with addressability will be permitted 74 per cent foreign direct investment as part of a move to bring about uniformity in FDI in broadcasting, Parliament was informed today.

Even as the views of different Ministries are awaited on the proposal to increase FDI in the media, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting C M Jatua said his Ministry had worked out with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India certain terms and conditions to take care of security related concerns.

The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion cleared the proposal for uniform Foreign Direct Investment in broadcast carriage services providers, including cable TV and direct-to-home (DTH) around October last year.

The DIPP, which functions under the Industry Ministry, then circulated a draft cabinet note which also includes raising overseas investments limits according to suggestions given by Trai.

The note has been sent to different ministries, including Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, Law, Finance, and Department of Telecommunications. The note will have to be approved by these Ministries before it can be sent to the cabinet.

It is learnt that services sector received FDI worth $2.88 billion between April and August 2011.

The draft note wants the FDI limits in the broadcast carriage services providers such as cable TV, DTH, Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS), IPTV, mobile TV and teleport services to be made uniform at 74 per cent. The proposal includes 49 per cent FDI for local cable operators and 26 per cent for news and current affairs channels.

Under the proposal, there is also provision for putting 49 per cent FDI (out of the proposed 74 per cent) on automatic route. But there is no automatic route for content services like uplinking, downlinking and FM radio, Jatua said.

At present, FM radio and uplinking of news TV channels are allowed 26 per cent; cable TV, DTH and teleports are permitted 49 per cent; while it is 74 per cent in case of HITS. Uplinking of non-news and downlinking are both allowed 100 per cent FDI. For private FM radio, the FDI limit was raised from 20 per cent to 26 per cent last year.

In June 2010, Trai had made suggestions to raise FDI for broadcast carriage services like DTH to 74 per cent.

The move is expected to help the media which has been clamouring for more foreign investment, and for several foreign investors including expatriate Indians.

Source: Indiantelevision.com

New Delhi: Not satisfied with the ‘must carry’ diktat and regulation of carriage fee outlined in the latest regulations by the broadcast regulator, both multi-service operators (MSOs) and news broadcasters may soon take legal recourse. MSOs and broadcasters are studying the order before approaching the courts, sources said.

On Monday night, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) issued the tariff order and regulations for digital addressable system (DAS) roll out mandating every MSO to upgrade its delivery platform so as to carry 500 channels in DAS areas, starting with the four metros. DAS entails mandatory use of a digitally addressable set-top-box for accessing TV channels and encryption of all television signals in DAS notified areas.

“The tariff order applies equally to DTH service providers and MSOs. No such ‘must carry’ mandate is imposed on DTH operators. The Trai orders directly attacks every MSOs right to do business. This should be challenged in court,” said a top executive in MSO Alliance, the apex body of leading MSOs.

News Broadcasters Association, the apex body of leading news channels too as expressed its displeasure accusing the sector regulator of legalising the menace of carriage fees when DAS in itself is supposed to eliminate it.

Both Trai and the ministry of information and broadcasting have supported the move. Trai chairman J S Sarma ruled out any roll back of the DAS order. Sarma told a news channel that Trai does not issue regulations and tariff order to roll back or re-look at them the next day. On its part, Uday Kumar Varma, Secretary, I&B ministry told FE that the DAS order was balanced and pro-consumer.

But MSOs are not satisfied. “It costs a lot to upgrade the network and digital head-ends in order to make them ready for carrying 500 channels. While there may be a demand for these many channels in metros and bigger towns, no such demand is there in smaller towns. This directly impacts the fundamental right of doing business,” said the head of regulatory and legal affairs in a leading MSO brand requesting anonymity as the matter was still be discussed internally.

Even the markets welcomed the Trai order as the stocks of MSOs like DEN, Hathway and WWIL went up by 2.12%, 19.23%, and 4.73% respectively. However, the stocks of some broadcasters took a beating. News broadcasters like NDTV -0.84%, Zee News (-2.31%), and TV Today (unchanged), while general entertainment channels like Zee Entertainment closed in the red while Sun TV saw 5% gain.

Source: The Financial Express

If the onset of digitisation is sure to wage a war between the DTH players and local digital operators, the new tariff order from TRAI is sure to add the requisite fuel to this much talked-about battle.

According to TRAI’s latest amendment, all channels including pay and free-to air will be offered on a-la-carte basis to subscribers. Not to forget, there will be a Basic Service Tier (BST) that will consist of a minimum of 100 free-to air (FTA) channels. Of the 100, 18 channels will belong to the public broadcaster DD along with Lok Sabha TV, while the remaining will belong to other popular genres such as current affairs, infotainment, sports, kids, music, lifestyle, movies and general entertainment in Hindi, English and regional language of the concerned region.

The order also suggests that while the multi-system operator (MSO) has to offer the Basic Service Tier, it is not mandatory for the subscriber to subscribe to the BST but instead can form his own package of a maximum of 100 FTA channels. And whatever the case be, the MSO cannot charge the subscriber more than Rs 100 per month.

Evidently, experts state that while the move will bring in more power into the common man’s lap and profits into the MSO’s and LCO’s account, the bigger DTH players will have to revive their payment system or else, may have to shut shop eventually.

Pawan Jailkhani, executive vice-president, revenue, 9X Media Group, says, “The new tariff order will consolidate and regulate the pricing by the DTH and digital operators to a large level.”

He explains that in the case of digital platforms, the cost of transmission doesn’t increase with the number of channels. “However, since an analog operator cannot carry more than 50-60 channels on a single bandwidth, the cost generally increases with the number of channels,” he notes.

According to K Jayaraman, CEO, Hathway Cable Network, while the move will spur the process of digitisation in India, the DTH players will either have to shift their complete focus to the upper class or will have to bring down their prices to half of existing rates.

Consider this: Currently, any given cable operator charges an estimated Rs 150-200 for a pack of 70-100 channels across India. Not to forget, to build an initial customer base, the cable operators in smaller towns and cities also start their business with a free offering for two months or a nominal cost of Rs 50-60 for the same pack of 70-100.

Now, compare this to DTH and (approximately) the same number of channels is offered at almost double the rate. For instance: the package charges on Tata Sky and Dish TV start at Rs 180 per month, wherein an approximate 100 channels across various genres are offered. For Airtel and Reliance, the 100-channel package offer starts at around Rs 160.

S N Sharma, CEO, Den Networks, says, “While with the move, it’s the subscribers that will benefit the most, there will be a tough fight to maintain a tight grip on them. Also, I feel that the local operators and MSOs will have an upper hand on the customer choices.”

For the record, the new tariff order has prescribed a 55:45 (MSO:LCO) revenue share ratio in case of BST and FTA channels and of 65:35 (MSO:LCO) revenue ratio in case of the pay channels or a bouquet of pay channels.

Jailkhani notes that the new tariff system will be profitable for the independent channels as well, which are not a part of any network. Content will rule the subscriber selection and not the bouquets since all channels will be available on a-la-carte basis without much difference in pricing. Citing an example, he says, “For example, when we talk about a channel like Tashan, it is not a part of any major package. So, if I buy a package for say Rs 200 and subscribe for Tashan individually, it costs me an extra Rs 10 a month. This, in turn, enables the DTH provider to pocket somewhere around one crore from a single such channel in a year.”

Another media expert, on condition of anonymity, states that the single a-la-carte paid channel sold by a DTH player earns it about Rs 1-1.5 crore, for which it doesn’t pay any subscription money to the broadcaster. With this new regulation, the extra income of the DTH players will be minimised and they may have to shut shop in future.

Source: afaqs!

As the deadline for the digitisation of the cable-TV sector nears, CNBC-TV18 spoke to representatives of all the three parties concerned- multi-system operators (MSOs), broadcasters and the DTH community.

Ashok Mansukhani, president, MSO Alliance, calls the TRAI order “completely baseless and unfair”. He explains that MSOs will have to spend heavily on encryption and increasing capacity.

“Unlike overseas, boadcasters don’t share ad revenues with MSOs. Providing 500 channels is a tough call for small and independent operators,” he retorted.

Presenting the broacasters’ views, KVL Narayana Rao, director, Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF), says that the carriage fee will severely burden news broadcasters.

“Broadcasters will no be unable to set aside funds for business development and content generation.” Rao adds that the broadcasters were assured that the carriage fee would be removed and says that the association has appealed to TRAI and the government to reconsider the order.

Amidst both parties venting ire on the TRAI order, DTH representative RC Venkateish, CEO, Dish TV maintained a positive note. He said that TRAI had struck a balanced note and was extremely fair. “I don’t see any reason for why all this hullabaloo is being made.”

Below is the edited transcript of the discussion. Also watch the accompanying videos.

Q: What is your view on concerns by News Broadcaster’s Associations about TRAI order?

Venkateish: TRAI has struck a very fine balance with its regulations and the recommendations. It clearly says that where a platform or a multi-system operator approaches a channel for its content, then there is no question of carriage. On the other hand, when the channel approaches the platform to be carried then the concept of carriage applies. It is extremely fair and I don’t see any reason for why this entire hullabaloo is being made.

Q: As far as, viability of this sector is concerned, NBA says that this recommendation unfairly penalises the broadcast industry and threatens its survival, is that a justified statement?

Manuskhani: Completely baseless and unjustified. Today, most of the distributing cable and companies who have digitalization have about 200 channel capacity. We have voluntarily agreed to start with 200 and we will have to go up to 500 by January.

The total number of channels actually telecast in India is under that.
Therefore, if every channel is available in a 500-channel capacity by January, the question that arises is that, we have had to spend huge sums of money to encrypt channels, create 500 channel capacities, provide two million boxes, 24 hour call centers, billing etc and then work with broadcasters to create a viable subscription model.

In the present scenario, it means that free to air networks which otherwise ride on advertisement platforms don’t really share their advertisement revenue with MSO’s or with DTH companies like it’s done aboard in the form of local ads and so on or local inserts.

On the other hand, TRAI want a ban on carriage fees when there is actually a very fair carriage regulation that has already been brought into place.

Q: What are the immediate negatives if at all that you have seen in the TRAI orders?

Manuskhani: The deadline of 500 channels is okay for National Multi-System Operators like the ones that belong to MSO alliance. 500 channels is a tough call even by next April for smaller operators or independent cable operators in different parts of the country.

It is possible to have 500-channel viewership in national or bigger cities, but difficult is small towns. This should have been left to market forces.

Q: This very comment about market forces and how we should perhaps not end up over regulating this entire sector. Do you share any concerns with what the TRAI has ordered and do you think there is scope for it being relooked at a later stage once this current regime is put in practice?

Venkateish: The TRAI has done a commendable job of balancing the interest of all the stakeholders. Market forces works in an efficient market environment and environment in media industry is not necessarily efficient because content providers and distribution platforms who have some sort of monopoly over their things.

In such a scenario, there are always possibilities of market failure because if two broadcasters have an exclusive content and the distribution provider has a exclusive distribution then the potential for adversity and conflict always exists. Therefore, the regulator has to play a very important role in maintaining and ensuring that there is no market failure.

The regulator has always in this particular regulation tried to step a fine line and opened up the competition at the retail end where there is genuine competition.

We have seen that in DTH. All six DTH providers are competing against each at the consumer end and therefore the consumer’s end is protected, but at the input end where there are monopolies and possibility of market failures the regulator has stepped in to regulate.

Q: The distributors say that TRAI recommendations are good and the practice of carriage fees is essential. The NBA on its part is distressed by the move, why is that?

Rao: We welcome digitization and it is something that we have been asking for several years. The government and TRAI have done the right thing by coming out with digitisation rollout plan and the relevant orders that will allow it to take place.

However, we are distressed that the problem of carriage fee continues. Carriage has burdened broadcasters, in particular news broadcasters very severely over the last few years. It constitutes a third of our total cost. We are unable to keep aside revenues for development of our channels, business and generation of good quality content. We were assured that carriage would be removed. So, to that extent we are very distressed.

Q: Do you intend to take this order head on or challenge the order?

Rao: I don’t think we need to go to a court at this moment and I hope that will not arise. We have appealed; we have urged the government and TRAI to relook at the order, issue more clarifications, what exactly they have in mind when they say a carriage fee would need to be paid before we can react.

At this moment it is very open ended. It just says it will continue, while they say that it is because investments have to be made into digitisation and therefore carriage must continue. The fact is, its very open ended and without any kind of a time limit. It’s difficult for us to understand what exactly they mean and what they have in mind. At this moment it appears that the problem and the burden continues and that is very worrying.

Source: Moneycontrol.com

Telecom tribunal TDSAT has held that sports broadcaster Neo Sports is entitled to 7 per cent increase in subscription fee for its channels from ADAG group firm Reliance Big TV, which provides Direct-to-Home service.

“Petitioner (Neo Sports) is entitled to 7 per cent increase on the subscription fee on and from January 1, 2009,” said a TDSAT bench headed by its Chairman Justice S B Sinha.

The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) further said that BiG TV “must allow the Petitioner to audit its system within two weeks from date” for calculation of the average number of subscribers.

Big TV had subscribed to the sports broadcaster’s two channels – Neo Cricket and Neo Sports – for its DTH platform.

The TDSAT’s direction came over the plea of Neo Sports, which had entered into an agreement with the ADAG group firm in June 2008.

As per the terms and conditions, Reliance Big TV had to pay the bouquet rates (at 50 per cent of the one fixed by sectoral regulator Trai) for Non-CAS areas, which came to about Rs 19.37.

However, in December, 2008, Trai brought out new regulations and allowed broadcasters a hike of seven 7 per cent from January 2009.

Following that, the Neo Sports bouquet rate came to Rs 20.73. Later, based on the SMS records submitted by Big TV, Neo Sports raised invoices.

However, dispute arose over the payability of subscription fees as per the terms of their agreement. Neo also questioned the subscriber number given by Big TV.

Neo Sports had approached TDSAT on March 31, 2011 seeking directions to Big TV for paying Rs 6.2 crore along with 18 per cent interest.

Source: The Economic Times

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI has revamped the entire regulatory structure of the broadcasting, cable TV and DTH industry in India, dealing with issues such as carriage fee, channel prices and channel availability.

Once digitized, all channels (pay and free-to air) have to be offered on a-la-carte, or individual, basis to subscribers, TRAI said.

There will be a Basic Service Tier (BST) consisting of a minimum of 100 free-to air (FTA) channels for Rs 100.

It is up to the consumer to pick and choose which 100 free channels he wants to watch for Rs 100 per month. In other words, he can make his own ‘basic package.’

He can also ask the cable operator to provide a pre-designed ‘basic tier’ with 5 channels of each genre — news and current affairs, infotainment, sports, kids, music, lifestyle, movies and general entertainment in Hindi, English and regional language of the concerned region.

However, if he or she wants pay channels, the minimum is Rs 150, TRAI added.

“In case subscriber chooses Pay channel(s) with or without FTA channel(s) the MSO can fix a minimum monthly subscription not exceeding Rs. 150/-. If the total value of the channels/ bouquets opted by the subscriber exceeds Rs. 150/- then actual subscription charges have to be paid,” TRAI said.

For consumers, the new regulations mean that soon, their cable networks will support a minimum of 500 channels — and they will more or less be able to pay only for the channels they watch.

In its new regulations, coming two months before the first phase of cable digitization kicks in in the cities, TRAI mandated a minimum capacity of 500 channels in the new system.

Currently, most cable networks have about 300 channels. Digitization is expected to increase their capacity to about 1000-1500.

There is more good news in the new regulations for the broadcasters (channel owners) than for owners of cable TV and DTH networks.

Primarily, the TRAI has ‘legalized’ carriage fee — a hitherto secretive practice in which cable and DTH operators used to take money from channel owners to carry particular channels, or to place a channel near another etc.. However, carriage fee can only be demanded from a channel owner if he is trying to ‘push’ his channel onto a cable network, not otherwise.

While many channel owners have been urging the regulator to simply ban carriage fee — which they consider a bribe — cable and DTH operators have pointed out that carrying a channel involves expenses, some of which has to borne by the channel owner.

Carriage fee was also the only way in which new channels could ensure their presence on large networks, which otherwise saw no reason to carry unknown channels without a customer base.

As a result, carriage fee comprises as much as 70% of the running expenses of certain channels.

To ensure that carriage fee does not stifle growth among channels, TRAI has removed the element of secrecy and discretion from the payment.

From now on, all channels will have to pay the same amount as carriage fee, and the amount shall be declared in a publicly available document. Each cable and DTH operator is free to decide its carriage fee, but must apply it to all the channels uniformly.

The other big change is designed to prevent the frequent fights between channel owners and cable networks. Channel owners have been told to supply channels to all operators who wish to transmit it.

Conversely, all cable operators much provide space for all the channels from all companies — unless they can prove that less than 5% of their subscribers are subscribing to the channel.

The excerpts of the TRAI new regulations are as follows:

CARRIAGE FEE:

Every multi system operator shall publish in its Reference Interconnect Offer the carriage fee for carrying a channel of a broadcaster for which no request has been made bythe multi system operator.

Provided that the carriage fee shall be uniform for all the broadcasters and the same shall not be revised upwards for a minimum period of two years from the date of publication in the Reference Interconnect Offer.

A multi system operator, who seeks signals of a particular TV channel from a broadcaster, shall not demand carriage fee for carrying that channel on its distribution platform.

CHANNEL CAPACITY:

A multi system(cable) operator operating in the Municipal boundary of Greater Mumbai, National Capital Territory of Delhi, Kolkata Metropolitan area and Chennai Metropolitan area shall have a capacity to carry a minimum of two hundred channels as on the 30th June, 2012 and such capacity shall be enhanced to a minimum of 500 channels by 1st January, 2013:

Provided further that all multi system operators operating in the area referred to in the first proviso and having subscriber base of less than twenty five thousand shall have the capacity to carry a minimum of 500 channels by the 1st April, 2013.

BROADCASTERS MUST PROVIDE CHANNELS WITHOUT CONDITIONS:

No broadcaster of TV channels shall engage in any practice or activity or enter into any understanding or arrangement, including exclusive contract with any multi system operator for distribution of its channel which may prevent any other multi system operator from obtaining such TV channels for distribution.

Every broadcaster shall provide signals of its TV channels on non-discriminatory basis to every multi system operator having the prescribed channel capacity making request for the same within sixty days from the date of receipt of the request.

If a broadcaster before providing signals to a multi system operator insist for placement of its channel in a particular slot as a pre-condition for providing signals, such precondition shall amount to imposition of unreasonable terms.

NETWORKS MUST CARRY CHANNELS WITHOUT CONDITIONS:

No multi system operator shall enter into any understanding or arrangement with any broadcaster that may prevent any other broadcaster from obtaining access to the cable network of such multi system operator.

Every multi system operator shall, within sixty days of receipt of request from the broadcaster or its authorised agent or intermediary, provide on non-discriminatory basis, access to its network or convey the reasons for rejection of request if the access is denied to such broadcaster.

It shall not be mandatory for a multi system operator to carry the channel of a broadcaster if the channel is not in regional language of the region in which the multi system operator is operating or in Hindi or in English language OR if the broadcaster is not willing to pay the uniform carriage fee published by the multi system operator in its Reference Interconnect Offer.

It shall not be mandatory for the multi system operator to carry a channel for a period of next one year from the date of discontinuation of the channel, if the subscription for that particular channel, in the last preceding six months is less than or equal to five per cent of the subscriber base of that multi system operator taken as an average of subscriber base of the preceding six months.

Source: RTN Asia

If cable operators thought they would have a smooth transition from analog-digital services to digital-only services by June 30, satellite-based DTH operators seem to have other ideas.

According to the rules, cable operators must switch off the analog signals on their lines in big cities by June 30.

Once the analog service is switched off, people who are watching cable TV without any set-top-boxes will essentially be left in the dark. They will have to spend about Rs 1,000 to buy a set-top-box to convert digital signals back into analog, before they can see their favorite soaps or movies again.

The reason for the move is simple: while the current hybrid system allows only about 300 channels, the new system can allow about 800 to 1,500 channels by freeing up spectrum on the cable lines.

The new system will also allow cable operators to provide on-demand services such as videos, songs, downloads and movies, and compete better with DTH.

However, DTH operators are also waiting for the digitization, for a different reason.

They believe that when the consumer is asked to buy the Rs 1000 set-top-box, they have a chance to win him over to their platform. A new DTH connection too costs only Rs 1,000.

Dish TV, the oldest player, seems to be the first off the mark in this case — unveiling a new TV commercial targeting consumers confused about the switch-over to digital services.

“Dish TV has geared up the upcoming digitization task. With the new TV commercial focussing on consumer awareness campaign, Dish TV has equally expanded the dealer network and also strengthened the current dealer base. The services are being upgraded with getting the technological talent pool and Customer Support Centre,” the network said.

Its ‘Go Digital now with Dish TV’ ad campaign, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, will focus on the “upheaval of consumer mind set with various activities” associated with the digitization campaign.

That said, DTH players may be rejoicing too soon. The primary reason for switching over to DTH so far has been to ensure predictable quality in TV reception.

While cable TV reception so far has been patchy, because of frequent disconnections and poor signal, digitization may force cable networks to upgrade their infrastructure.

Besides, once all the channels are in the digital mode, cable operators will have several times the band-width that DTH operators have. As such, cable operators will be able to offer services such as true video on demand and Internet access, which almost totally impossible on DTH.

Digitization is also likely to bring down cable set top box prices from about Rs 2,000 to about Rs 1,000-1,500. Some cable networks may even choose to give away the boxes free of cost to customers who pay in advance for a year, as is being done in some areas in the cities already.

Source: RTN Asia