In fact making it free is safe as by paying a carriage fee they can be part of FTA channel list and having a chance to be accessible while being pay they have to be part of big broadcasters as it will be entirely on the customer to choose them. 9xO not being a part of Tata Sky is purely a payment issue where Tata Sky is saying it is discontinued by the broadcaster. There may be other reasons unknown to us but primary reason is fees as per rules you cannot deny a chance to a channel to be on the platform. Other such channel is Masti which Tata Sky don't want to do means don't want for xyz reasons in every 6 months it is on the removal list.
Yes, bro u r right at one level but the crux of the problem lies in this fact itself that a channel like 9XO will be in massive trouble if it leaves upto Tata Sky whether it wants to have them or not on their platform . Believe me rival network of 9XO will leave no stone unturned to keep the latter out by conniving with operators specially premium ones as their target audience largely resides with them.
You are spot regarding 2nd observation, Tata Sky has been finding ways to keep channels like Mastiii and 9XO at bay but they will find it extremely difficult to get rid of No. 1 Hindi Music Channel while 9XO is easy to sidelined bcoz of minute segment demanding it. This is why i am in favour of 9X Media turning so that Tata Sky has no option but to add it right away