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MSOs meet reaches dead-end on CAS
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The much-hyped multi-system operators’ (MSOs) meet in Delhi today failed to come up with concrete conclusions, though various issues arising out of postponement of conditional access were discussed.
According to the people who attended todays meeting, the prime concern of the cable industry is what would happen of the investment already made in setting up the infrastructure for CAS. Though seeking legal recourse against the deferment of rollout of addressability – an option suggested by a Mumbai-headquartered MSO – was discussed, but no final take was done.
This option needs to be studied further by lawyers before it is opted for, a senior executive of one of the MSOs told indiantelevision.com after the meeting. Another issue that was discussed revolved round the slow death of the cable industry if the broadcast and cable regulator and a certain section of the industry gave more prominence to alternate delivery mechanisms like DTH and broadband.
Representatives from Siti Cable, Hindujas-controlled INCablenet, Trinity (formerly Spectranet) and RPG attended todays meeting, amongst others. The MSOs are contending that with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) putting a freeze on the cable services price in CAS and non-CAS areas, apart from postponing implementation of CAS for three months, the cable fraternity is increasingly feeling the pressure from all sides.
Add to this, the games that broadcasters play, a representative of a MSO said, adding, As it is the broadcasters have again started asking for a hike in subscriber base and charging for new channels launched.
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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.
