News Broadcasting
Cut cable ops’ payout if channel withdrawn from bouquet: Trai
NEW DELHI: Broadcast and cable regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), today said that the charges levied on a cable operator by a broadcaster would get reduced if a TV channel is withdrawn from a particular
bouquet.
Pointing out that certain amendments in an earlier tariff order have been carried out, the regulator said that the changes are being made so that if a broadcaster reduces the number of channels in a bouquet, the ceiling charges of the bouquet will get reduced accordingly.
This means that if HBO, for example, gets out of the One Alliance bouquet, then cable ops and MSOs cannot be charged One Alliances earlier subscription rates, which should be reduced equivalent to the HBO channels cost.
According to Trai, in the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Second) Tariff Order 2004, reduction in ceiling charges was specified in the second provision of clause three for multi-system and cable operators. This provided reduction in ceiling charges taking into account the rates of similar channels, as on 26 December, 2003, in case of reduction in the number of channels being shown by a MSO or a cable operator.
It is considered that the same principle should also apply in case a broadcaster reduces the number of pay channels being supplied or when a pay channel converts into a free to air channel, Trai has said in an official statement today.
The details of the order can be taken from the regulators website, www.trai.gov.in.
News Broadcasting
News18 India to air Sabse Bada Dangal on 4 May counting day
Channel promises fastest results, live trends and analysis across five states.
MUMBAI: Ballots will do the talking and screens will do the shouting. As counting day approaches for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry, News18 India is gearing up for an all-day broadcast of its flagship election show, Sabse Bada Dangal, on 4 May from 6 am onwards. The Hindi news channel plans to deliver continuous, real-time updates as votes are tallied, combining live counting data with on-ground reporting and studio analysis. With political fortunes set to shift through the day, the coverage will track every swing, surge and surprise as trends turn into results.
The broadcast will feature a mix of senior political leaders, analysts and experts, offering instant reactions and decoding the evolving electoral picture. Expect heated debates, quick takes and detailed breakdowns as the numbers settle across all five states.
For News18 India, counting day has long been a high-visibility moment. The network is banking on its reporting reach, editorial bandwidth and technology-driven coverage to stay ahead in what is often a fiercely competitive news cycle.
With multiple battlegrounds and shifting narratives, the day promises both drama and data in equal measure. And if all goes to plan, Sabse Bada Dangal will once again turn the counting of votes into prime-time spectacle.
