GECs
CAS back on industry radar screen
NEW DELHI: Conditional access system (CAS), which had fallen off the radar screen of the media industry and consumers, is set to stage a come back.
The final round of arguments in a case filed by MSO Alliance relating to addressability will get completed on 15 September with the central government promising to clarify its stand on the issue by then.
At a hearing at the Delhi High Court today, the petitioner and another respondent, broadcast regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), submitted their final responses with the government counsel requesting few days to allow his client to come back to the court with a status report on CAS.
The court has also sought some legal clarifications from Trai on whether a law passed by the government or the Executive (notifying CAS for implementation) can remain in suspended animation forever.
MSO Alliance, an apex body of multi-system operators in the country, had moved the Delhi HC some months back seeking judicial succour with the present government dragging its feet on the issue of CAS after the previous government had suspended CAS implementation early 2004 ahead of the general elections that year.
What has strengthened MSO Alliances case is the fact that Trai has submitted before the court that it had given its recommendations on CAS and ways to implement it in phases to the present government on 1 October 2004, but has got no response from the information and broadcasting ministry till
date.
Trai has conveyed to the Delhi court that if the government wants to reject its recommendations on CAS , then it has to convey so, which has also not happened.
It is expected that with the government making its mind on CAS known to the court by 15 September, a clearer picture on the issue of addressability is likely to emerge. The courts observations too would be important in this regard.
CAS, a brainchild of former I&B minister Sushma Swaraj during the previous governments regime, had hit a political wall ahead of polls despite months of industry-ministry interactions on ways to implement addressability in the country. The present government too has shown much inclination to implement CAS beyond a point.
MSO Alliance has alleged in its petition that suspension of CAS has resulted in financial losses to multi-system operators as cable companies had invested in infrastructure on assurance from the previous government that CAS would be implemented.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
