iWorld
TRAI recommends MIB should not introduce any fresh regulations in Cable TV distribution sector
Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) that the government should not introduce any new regulations or take any corrective measures to enhance the competition in the cable TV distribution sector.
Trai has further requested the MIB to monitor but also intervene only at the appropriate time. However, Trai recommended, “The government may take suitable measures to facilitate & promote sharing of cable infrastructure by a local cable operator with Telecom Service Providers (TSP) to enable the last mile for provision of broadband services.”
“The government may issue necessary amendments to existing rules/ guidelines, to enable the use of last mile infrastructure created by cable operators by TSPs for promoting broadband connections,” it wrote.
Trai further said that the government may amend the rules under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation), Act 1995 to explicitly indicate the following:
“Cable operators may strive to provide last mile access to Access service providers/Internet Service Providers in a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory manner for the proliferation of broadband services.”
On 19 February 2021, MIB sent a letter to TRAI where the government informed the authority that considerable time has passed on the recommendations on “Monopoly/Market Dominance in the Cable TV services on 26 November 2013” and the media and entertainment landscape has changed drastically since then, particularly with the advent of digital technologies in this sector. Therefore, MIB has requested Trai to provide a fresh set of recommendations for the development and expansion of the M&E sector.
For this, Trai issued a consultation paper seeking comments from stakeholders on 25 October 2021. The date of submission for comments and counter comments was extended continuously and Trai received comments on the consultation paper from 70 stakeholders and counter comments from 7 stakeholders. (recommendations are available on Trai’s website). An open house discussion (OHD) was also held on 27 January 2022 in this regard through an online mode. After considering all comments and counter-comments received from stakeholders and further analysis of the issues, the regulator has now finalised its recommendations and issued it to the MIB.
Broadband
Zoff Foods extends Shilpa Shetty partnership into ninth year
Spice brand reinforces trust-led positioning amid growth and funding push.
MUMBAI: Nine years, one flavour and the recipe clearly still works. Zoff Foods has extended its long-running association with Shilpa Shetty, marking nine consecutive years of her as brand ambassador as the company scales its presence across Indian households. What began as a digital-first collaboration has gradually evolved into a defining element of the brand’s identity. Over nearly a decade, the partnership has mirrored Zoff’s own journey from an emerging challenger to a fast-growing FMCG player with a widening footprint across e-commerce, quick commerce and offline retail channels.
The logic behind the continuity is straightforward. In a category where trust and familiarity drive purchase decisions, particularly in spices and ready-to-cook segments, long-term associations tend to carry more weight than short bursts of visibility. Shetty’s positioning as a fitness-conscious, health-aware public figure aligns with the brand’s emphasis on purity and quality factors that are increasingly shaping consumer choices in modern Indian kitchens.
The extension also comes at a time when Zoff Foods is entering a more aggressive growth phase. The company recently raised $2 million in a Pre-Series B funding round led by JM Financial Private Equity, with participation from Aman Gupta, signalling a push towards expanding distribution, product innovation and market reach.
Company executives have positioned the continued partnership as a strategic anchor amid this expansion, reinforcing brand recall while entering new markets. For Shetty, the association remains rooted in shared values around authenticity and ingredient integrity attributes that resonate strongly with increasingly mindful consumers.
In a market crowded with new-age brands and shifting loyalties, Zoff’s approach suggests a different playbook: build slowly, stay consistent, and let familiarity do the heavy lifting. Because sometimes, in both branding and cooking, it’s not about reinventing the dish, it’s about perfecting it over time.
