News Broadcasting
LMOs sniff a benefit from TRAI entry
NEW DELHI: No sooner has a regulator for the broadcast and cable sectors been notified by the Indian government than cracks have started appearing in the fragile unity the cable fraternity had forged in the run-up to the CAS rollout in South Delhi.
Independent and last mile operators (LMOs) are now talking about making a bid to “break the monopolies” in ground distribution, especially that of big multi-system operators (MSOs) like Siti cable, Hathway and INCableNet.
Pointing out that they propose to submit a memorandum to the newly-notified regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), over the next few days, an independent cable operator said today, “Now that a regulator is in place, we would raise the issue of monopoly of the big players.”
The other issues likely to be with TRAI include that of cross-services restriction, choice to a consumer in choosing a cable operator and putting cap on the advertising time on pay channels.
“Whenever we have talked about cross-service restriction, the MSOs have shouted us down. But now, we will raise the issue with TRAI,” another cable op said.
By cross-service restrictions, the cable ops mean that either there should be ban on broadcasters owning stakes in cable networks or there should be a cap (on the lower side) on such holding to reduce “vested interest” and preferential costing” taking place.
At the moment, two of the biggest broadcasters, Zee Telefilms and Star India, have equity stake in cable distributing companies. While Siti Cable is a subsidiary of Zee Tele, in the Rajan Raheja-controlled Hathway Datacom, Star holds 26 per cent stake. Similarly, the parent company of Sun group of channels also owns a cable network in South India. Though the Hinduja-owned
InCableNet doesn’t have any direct links with broadcasting owned by the parent company, noises have been made by the Hindujas that they have plans to launch satellite-delivered TV channels.
Asked about signs of rebellion in the ranks of the cable fraternity, a senior executive of an MSO today lamented that this “disunity” may spell doom for independent and local cable operators.
“Bahut dukh likha hain een cable operators ke taqdeer mein (fate has lot of bad news in store for these cable operators),” the MSO executive said on condition of anonymity.
A representative of another MSO sarcastically said that “unless these independent cable ops go to TRAI and advise it on how to do things,” the industry would probably come to an end.
But, that the fear of big telecom companies getting into cable service is playing on the minds of big and cable ops is evident. Agreeing with indiantelevision.com’s editorial under Comment and also the report filed last week on TRAI, the head of an MSO said that if the clauses of unified licence — being discussed by TRAI and the telecom players— are read in conjunction with the latest developments, then the picture would become clear.
“There is no doubt that it is just a matter of time before telecom companies foray into cable services, which have now been redesignated as telecom services,” he added.
DEFERRING CAS NOT WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION: TRAI
Meanwhile, the new regulator, which seems to have taken up its job in all earnest, on Monday added a new twist to the CAS (conditional access system) saga, saying deferring or letting the rollout continue is not within its jurisdiction.
Reiterating that it would issue a short consultation paper on CAS soon, TRAI chairman Pradip Baijal was quoted by the Press Trust of India (PTI) today as saying, “”The issue of continuing the service is not my jurisdiction”.
This was in response to a question posed by the agency whether the consultation paper would tantamount to deferring CAS till the regulator finalised and issued guidelines on the issue.
In a way, Baijal was not much off the mark as the role of the regulator is recommendatory and a final decision on CAS would have to be taken by the government on recommendations made by TRAI.
The decision on issuing a consultation paper comes amidst reports that CAS would be deferred till the general elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition government over the past few days has been hinting that the general elections are likely to be held between March and May, though no fixed time-table has been indicated to yet.
“We will issue a short consultation paper tomorrow”, Baijal told PTI after holding a series of meetings with officials concerned on the issue. But he did not give details on the focus of the paper.
Baijal, who had put consumers’ interest at top of his priority after being given the new responsibility, was quoted in the agency report as saying that he would give about 15 days for the various stakeholders to revert with their responses.
From the time CAS was sought to be rolled out in South Delhi area, after a November verdict on CAS by the Delhi high court, the issue had thrown up various confrontations between the cable industry and the consumers, represented by consumer groups.
A new case, filed by two parties, including a conglomeration of 50-odd consumer bodies in the country, is still pending a final verdict of the Delhi high court. The court had observed that till the next date of hearing on 5 April, the rollout of CAS should be monitored.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 rolls out Battle for the States ahead of key polls
Multi-format election coverage tracks voter mood across five battleground states
NEW DELHI: CNN-News18 has launched a special election programming initiative titled Battle for the States, as India gears up for high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
Built around the theme ‘Road to Power’, the multi-format coverage aims to follow the entire electoral journey, from campaigning and polling to results and government formation. The network is leaning into on-ground reportage and data-backed storytelling to decode voter sentiment across regions where local issues often shape the narrative.
The programming line-up includes ‘Vote Tracker’, a three-part series developed in collaboration with survey agency Vote Vibe. The show blends survey insights with expert commentary and field reporting, using augmented reality graphics to present complex electoral data such as vote share, seat projections and leadership preferences in a more accessible format. It will air every Monday evening until April 6.
Adding a cultural lens to political reporting is ‘So Saree!’, a ground-driven segment where women anchors travel across constituencies dressed in traditional handwoven sarees from each state. The format uses attire as a storytelling device, highlighting regional identity while capturing grassroots voices.
Meanwhile, ‘Unfiltered Kaapi’ and ‘Chai-Niti’ bring a more conversational tone, drawing inspiration from everyday political discussions in tea stalls and coffee corners. These segments aim to break down key issues through candid, fast-paced exchanges between anchors and reporters, tailored to regional sensibilities.
For viewers seeking deeper insights, the weekend docuseries ‘Reporters Project’ takes a longer view, with correspondents travelling across constituencies to map voter concerns and political shifts on the ground.
“Elections are about people, their aspirations, identities and the issues that matter to them, and every state tells a different story,” said CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar. He added that the initiative focuses on understanding “the sentiment on the ground and what’s driving voter choices”.
Echoing the emphasis on credibility, Network18 CEO – English and business news Smriti Mehra said the network aims to combine on-ground reporting with data-led insights to deliver clear and timely coverage as the elections unfold.
With a mix of data, culture and grassroots reporting, CNN-News18 is positioning Battle for the States as a comprehensive window into one of India’s most closely watched electoral cycles, where every vote carries a story waiting to be told.
