News Broadcasting
Star drops subscription rate to Rs 30
MUMBAI: You have to give it to Star India. It does not believe in half measures. The jewel in Rupert Murdoch’s Asia operations effectively re-set the terms of the debate in the distribution arena today with the announcement that it was dropping subscription rates by 25 per cent from the current Rs 40 to Rs 30.
Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea had indicated to indiantelevision.com last week (on 3 December) that such a move was on the cards but it is the scale on which it has been conceived that is really going to shake up the works as it were. By dropping rates a whopping Rs 10, Star now costs less than affiliated ESPN Star Sports (ESS), which was the first to announce a new price regime when it hiked its rate 33 per cent to Rs 32 effective 1 December. Star’s price reduction will be effective, 1 January, 2003.
Talking about the development, Mukerjea was quoted in an official release as saying: “Our focus is to provide even better value to our viewers & cable operators across the country. By reducing our price we believe that cable operators and ourselves can work closer together for the long-term benefit of the households that view our channels every day. It is our policy to continue to offer better value to all our customers. Whilst other broadcasters are increasing their price, we believe in a reduction in price, in keeping with our policy.”
Indications of what Star expects from the cable fraternity in return can be garnered from the release which states that the rate reduction is being done to gain complete transparency and declaration on subscriber numbers.
Whatever may be the declared policy, there is no denying that this is a high stakes gamble on the part of the lead network. Looking at the monthly distribution revenue accruals, Star currently claims a declared connectivity of 6.5 million. At this level, it means that distribution revenue (calculating Rs 40 per subscriber) would be Rs 260 million a month. With Rs 30 as the new network rate, monthly income would fall to Rs 195 million. Therefore, just to maintain revenues at par, in the immediate term, declared connectivity would have to go up to 8.67 million, an increase of 33 per cent.
For this to be a winning proposition for Star in revenue terms, declarations would need to go up between 50 to 100 per cent from what it is today. That this presents quite a challenge for distribution head Tony D’Silva and his team is putting it mildly.
The move also has the potential to send for a toss all Sony Entertainment Televison’s plans to become the leading distribution network in the country, largely on the back of the upcoming cricket World Cup. The SET-Discovery One Alliance has just revised its rates upwards to Rs 55 from Rs 40 following premium movie channel HBO’s coming aboard.
And what of Zee Telefilms? Information available with indiantelevision.com had indicated that Subhash Chandra’s network was looking at a subscription price of Rs 60 for the full bouquet (including all new additions like Realty TV, CNBC India and possibly Cinemax). Whether Star’s announcement forces a change in plans remains to be seen.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
