Trai begins talks on broadcasting tariff consultation paper
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has started holding informal meetings with broadcasting industry stakeholders to discuss issues that would be part of a consultation paper that it plans to issue soon, said people familiar with the matter.
The telecom and broadcast sector regulator, under its new chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti, is planning to come out with a consultation paper to take a comprehensive look at the broadcast tariff issue.
On Wednesday, the regulator held a meeting with the CEOs of TV broadcasting companies. Prior to that, it held a meeting with the heads of TV distribution companies, the people.
«Trai is holding informal talks with industry stakeholders on the issues that need to be considered for the consultation paper. It is looking to overhaul the broadcast tariff regulations,» the top executive of a leading media firm said on condition of anonymity.
The Trai's decision to float a consultation paper comes at a time when the pay-TV industry is under tremendous stress due to competition from DD Free Dish and over the top (OTT) platforms.
According to industry estimates, the pay-TV subscriber base in the country stands at 110 million, equally split between cable TV and direct to home (DTH) service providers.
TV broadcasting, cable and DTH stakeholders have been urging the new dispensation at the TRAI to adopt forbearance as a policy to strengthen the pay-TV industry.
They blame the new tariff order (NTO) regime and its various iterations for much of the ills plaguing the industry. The
