News Broadcasting
Broadcasters to let 12 August deadline on NTO 2.0 pricing slide
New Delhi: The action and buzz is gathering pace in the television ecosystem even as the deadline for broadcasters to file the new pricing for their channels under NTO 2.0 is set to expire on 12 August 2021.
A section of the distribution sector – consisting of DTH operators and cable TV operators – maintains that broadcasters will have to file their new reference interconnect orders (RIO) declaring their bouquet pricing and the MRPs of their channels under NTO 2.0 by Thursday.
The latter had approached the Bombay high court in July asking it to stay the NTO 2.0 but it had turned down their plea. The court had given them six weeks to get their acts together even as it had informed the sectoral regulator – the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) not to take any coercive action against the broadcasters in the interim. The deadline given by the court to them ends on Thursday and the watchdog can, if it chooses, penalise the TV networks.
Earlier, the Trai had brought down the MRP for a TV channel from Rs 19 to Rs 12, something which the broadcasters have been protesting against.
Senior executives from TV networks – under the umbrella of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation – were in meetings all of Wednesday. A senior broadcasting executive told Indiantelevision.com that the Trai cannot and should not take a tough stand against broadcasters as the Supreme Court’s next hearing is scheduled for 18 August.
The IBF and its member broadcasters had challenged the Bombay HC order which had upheld the constitutionality of the NTO 2.0. On 6 August, the apex court asked them to get back to it with slimmer petitions, and posted the matter for hearing on 18 August.
“The case is sub-judice, and the Supreme Court will hear it only on 18 August so the matter of “stay orders” does not arise,” said the executive.
News Broadcasting
UDF poised to return to power in Kerala, says Manorama-CVoter survey
Massive opinion poll projects shift in Kerala politics ahead of 2026 Assembly elections.
MUMBAI: The winds of change appear to be blowing through Kerala’s political landscape and this time, they seem to favour the United Democratic Front. A comprehensive mega opinion survey conducted by Manorama News in partnership with CVoter projects a potential comeback for the UDF in the upcoming Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections 2026. The survey, covering all 140 constituencies with a massive sample size of nearly 90,000 respondents, predicts the UDF could win between 69 and 81 seats.
The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is expected to secure 57 to 69 seats, a significant drop from the 99 seats it won in the 2021 elections. This would mean the LDF losing 30 to 42 of its sitting seats. Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which drew a blank in 2021, is projected to open its account with 1 to 5 seats.
Region-wise, the UDF is expected to make strong gains in Malabar, winning 25 to 34 out of 48 seats, and in Central Kerala, where it could bag 29 to 33 out of 53 seats. In South Kerala, the LDF is likely to retain an edge with 21 to 25 seats, while the UDF may improve to 12 to 16 seats. The NDA could pick up 1 to 3 seats in the southern region.
The survey was conducted between 14 and 26 March 2026, with additional tracker and snap polls carried out from December 2025 to March 2026. A total of 89,693 respondents participated, ensuring representation across all demographics and social segments.
Manorama News has a strong track record of accuracy, with its previous projections closely matching the actual results of the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha elections as well as the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls.
In Kerala’s famously fierce political battles, this survey suggests the pendulum may be swinging back. Whether the final verdict matches these numbers or throws up another surprise, one thing is clear, the 2026 Assembly elections are shaping up to be one of the most keenly watched contests in the state’s history.
