TRAI didn't dictate any pricing, they regulated it. If broadcasters think their content is of highest quality, they can price such channels at Rs. 200 also. TRAI doesn't restrict them in doing so. Consumers will buy if they think it's worth it. What the broadcasters have been doing was unethical in many ways and the new rules doesn't allow them to continue that. That's why they're crying foul.
Alright, I get your point about pricing. But tell me in which other country customers buy tv channels broadcasters' wise? Bouquets are set to be on genre wise by service providers. We are now forced to buy useless channels from a broadcaster to get discounts. Don't know if broadcasters' are crying foul but TRAI's existing tariff is ridiculously flawed which favours government with ridiculous high GST and service providers by setting high NCF.
DPO have good revenue opputintuity in NTO with fixed NCF, 20% share of pay channel/boutique price, volume incentives and carraige fee from broadcasters. Atleaset broadcasters have fixed Rs.1/- or Rs.2/- for some good channels, but not in the case of DPO. They have looted us with full NCF rate, particularly TATA SKY with secondary connections.
To be fair Tata Sky have given users good relief with free slab for most FTA channels. It's cable that charged too much. Most of them forces FTA channels which increases channel counts. Even DD channels are counted in same 100 channels slap. In the end users end up paying over ₹200 plus taxes for just NCF.
Most of the MSOs, even my MSO ACT digital gave 200+ FTA channels for Rs.130+GST. Our MSO said that if TRAI fixes lower NCF (Rs.100 or Rs.80), then they have no problem to give same channel count.
Same isn't available on big MSO's like Siti Cable.
In our city, Siti cable and Hathway collects NCF of Rs.130+GST for 200+ channels
