Govt to reassess broadcast pricing structure as media competition hots up

India is proposing changes including on how cable TV fees are calculated, following concerns that free services from the state broadcaster and rising popularity of over-the-top platforms is eroding viewership. 

Direct-to-home active subscribers fell to 68.52 million in December from 70.99 million in March 2020. In such conditions, industry representatives say implementation of a new tariff order “will cause large scale disruptions,” the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said in a consultation paper posted on its website Saturday. 

The media and entertainment sector in India has become a hot-bed of competition in recent months. Global giants like Netflix and Amazon are battling Indian tycoons Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani in the only market which offers more than a billion customers and is open to foreign competition.

Trai’s key questions:

• Should channels in a bouquet be priced homogenously?
• What measures can ensure effective a-la-carte choice to customers?
• Should prices be capped to ensure access/should discounts be offered?

Stakeholders can send their views by May 30 and counter comments by June 6.