Reliance cable firms remove Star channels before IPL, to affect 20 million

According to broadcasting regulations, consumers have the right to request that their cable or DTH operators provide the channels they wish to watch

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) approaches, three big cable companies, DEN Networks, Hathway Cable & Datacom, and GTPL Hathway, have informed their customers that they will be removing Star Sports and other Star channels from their basic packages starting on April 1, Financial Express has reported.

This means that about 20 million people who want to watch the cricket league on television may have to pay extra. If customers complain to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the situation could result in government intervention, the report added.

Broadcasting regulations state that consumers have the right to request that their cable or DTH operators provide the channels they wish to watch. If a group of consumers complains to Trai that certain channels have been removed from their basic package by cable operators, the regulator is likely to direct the operators to restore the channels. This means that if the consumers band together and bring their concerns to Trai, they may be able to get the channels they want reinstated.

The FE report said that Reliance Industries-owned operators have decided to eliminate Star channels, including Star Sports, from their basic plans, which will require their subscribers to upgrade their subscription plans in order to access Star's sports and general entertainment channels. As a result, subscribers will face a 15-20 per cent increase in costs to watch these channels.

This news is important because Disney Star currently holds the television broadcasting rights for the IPL, while Viacom18, owned by Reliance, holds the digital media rights. Additionally, Reliance will be streaming the IPL for free on its JioCinema OTT app.

However, experts suggest that removing Star channels from basic cable packages owned by Reliance could negatively impact Star's viewership since many viewers may not upgrade their plans and instead switch to OTT services, the report mentioned. It's worth noting that the prices of television channels were recently increased by 15-20 per cent due to the implementation of the new tariff order (NTO 3.0).