DTH operators approach TRAI over pay channels on DD Free Dish

[Aman878950]

Tata sky and Airtel Digital TV wants their customers to have channels from broadcaster which are available as FTA on DD Freedish.It creates tussle among TRAI,Broadcasters,DTH operators and DD Freedish in order to provide efficient services to customers.

DTH, Cable companies cry foul as broadcasters offer pay channels on DD FreeDish

The distribution platform operators (DPOs) — a combined term used for DTH and cable operators — are irked with the fact that the broadcasters are charging their subscribers for these channels, while these channels are free on FreeDish.

m.economictimes.com

 

[Aman878950]

Harit Nagpal, Chief Executive Officer, Tata Sky, told BusinessLine, “According to TRAI’s new tariff order, broadcasters cannot offer certain channels to be free to air for some vendors and charge others. This was brought to the notice ofTRAI last year but we are still waiting for the regulator's action.” Nagpal said if the issue is not resolved then the matter could be escalted up to the judiciary.

Doordarshan’s free-to-air channels spark a dish war

DTH players move TRAI, say no level field as they have to pay for the channels

www.thehindubusinessline.com

 

[iDJ]

There should be a Dish that supports all FTA channels without the carriage fee non sense. DD FreeDish is useless to most people. It lacks major International channels and English Language news channel.

 

[dino29]

I see no merit in this argument.... Free Dish has a very different business model and basically aimed at providing free entertainment to people who cannot afford to pay for channels while Pay DTH has a business model where both operators and broadcasters earn from people thru subscription

All i understand is that pay tv operators r looking for another source of revenue... If these channels r made FTA across platforms then these will not b part of RIO and either broadcasters will have to pay carriage to get chs added on respective platforms or operators will have to add at own will based on customer demand which happens less often unless there r massive requests.

I would say even if broadcasters agree and pay carriage fee for these channels then will operators reciprocate by giving these channels free of cost to us without NCF .... If so then i would b okay with this change else not

Best thing is to not compare Free Dish with Pay Platforms, let their subscribers enjoy basic channels while those who can afford can pay for such channels and it hardly costs 1 or 2 Rs as standalone while even less in packs

 

[Slu]

I see no merit in this argument.... Free Dish has a very different business model and basically aimed at providing free entertainment to people who cannot afford to pay for channels while Pay DTH has a business model where both operators and broadcasters earn from people thru subscription

All i understand is that pay tv operators r looking for another source of revenue... If these channels r made FTA across platforms then these will not b part of RIO and either broadcasters will have to pay carriage to get chs added on respective platforms or operators will have to add at own will based on customer demand which happens less often unless there r massive requests.

I would say even if broadcasters agree and pay carriage fee for these channels then will operators reciprocate by giving these channels free of cost to us without NCF .... If so then i would b okay with this change else not

Best thing is to not compare Free Dish with Pay Platforms, let their subscribers enjoy basic channels while those who can afford can pay for such channels and it hardly costs 1 or 2 Rs as standalone while even less in packs

Win Win Situation for consumer in both cases...

 

[hike]

If they have that much of problem with these channels being available in DDFreeDish. Why they don't show all FTA channels even without subscription? Make your own DTH service to work like DDFreeDish until unless customer don't make recharge to his desired pack?

 

[rahul1117kumar]

There needs to be a level playing field: Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal on Free Dish issue

At the summit, Nagpal reiterated that while he appreciates Free Dish as a great channel of customer acquisition, there has to be a level playing field. “There are roughly 100 million homes in India that don’t have a TV. They will not invest in a TV set and subscription simultaneously. Hence, at any given point in time there is a large pool that owns a TV but is not paying for subscription services. A subset of this population moves into the Pay TV universe every year, opening up a huge customer acquisition opportunity for us,” he explained, adding that “the problem begins when Free Dish starts serving them at no cost, the same content that we offer for a price.”

According to Nagpal, this is an unfair practice on the part of certain broadcasters. It goes against the current tariff regime which mandates designating of channels as either pay or FTA. “This designation should be consistent across platforms,” he insisted. “A customer in rural areas does not understand regulations, and he starts distrusting us.”

There needs to be a level playing field: Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal on Free Dish issue

Harit Nagpal, the MD and CEO of India’s largest Pay TV distributor - Tata Sky is known to be a vocal man. Time and again, he has used several platforms and occasions to bring the industry’s concerns to the notice of the government and regulators.

www.indiantelevision.com