Resources
Trai holds back interconnect order
NEW DELHI: The broadcast and cable regulator, which was slated to issue an order on inter-connect agreements late this week, has held it back owing to various forms of protests against the must-provide clause relating to distribution activities.
A source in the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) admitted today that the regulator, which was supposed to come out with an inter-connect order, has deferred it “owing to feedback from the industry that are being studied now.”
While murmurs of criticism have surfaced both from the broadcasting and cable segments of the industry over a suggestion on making available TV channels to all platforms on a non-discriminatory basis, the Trai source also said that vested interests have to be located and neutralized.
It was all started by a cable ops’ body, National Cable & Telecom Association (NCTA), when it shot off a letter to Trai on 2 October itself pointing out that a suggestion on “Promotion of Competition in Distribution of TV channels” (clause-6.3) may actually turn tout to be `anti-competitive’
and lead to monopolistic trends.
Quoting from the Trai recommendations that “broadcasters will not be held to be in violation of the must-provide condition if it is ensured that the signals are provided through a particular designated agent/distributor or any other intermediary and not directly,” NCTA had contended that a scenario could not be ruled out that Star or Zee Telefilms, for example, provide exclusive signals to their affiliates (like Hathway, Siti Cable and RPG, which is an exclusive distributor of star channels in Kolkata) who could
continue the monopolistic trends.
Star India, meanwhile, is said to have put across its views to Trai on the must-provide clause in an informal manner, holding the position that making available all the content to everybody may not be that good an idea as programming acquisition is costly.
At a recent Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) meeting in Mumbai, too, some broadcasters has expressed their reservation on “must-provide”, which may get reflected during a scheduled interaction with the government that IBF is scheduled to have on Monday.
Though this must-provide clause is yet to become a law, it has seen its first defaulter in Indian pubcaster Doordarshan that refused to share two of its channels showing cricket matches with the Zee Group’s Dish TV, country’s first DTH service.
Asked about this aspect, a senior Trai official wryly said, “Well, the instance has been brought to our notice, but the must-provide clause is yet to become a law.”
Jobs
Oracle layoffs jolt workforce; 30,000 jobs at risk globally, 12,000 in India
Early-morning emails, no warning, as AI-led reset sweeps through teams
Austin: Oracle has triggered a sweeping wave of layoffs, blindsiding employees with pre-dawn emails and fuelling fears of a deep workforce reset as the company pivots towards artificial intelligence.
Staff across teams reported receiving termination notices as early as 5 to 6 am, with roles scrapped effective immediately. There was little warning and, in many cases, no prior conversations with managers or HR, amplifying the shock.
The cuts are believed to span Oracle’s computing business across regions, including India and Mexico. While the company has not confirmed the scale, posts on Blind, Reddit and X point to widespread disruption.
India appears among the hardest hit. Nearly 12,000 employees may have been laid off from a base of around 30,000, according to ANI. Globally, job losses are being pegged at close to 30,000, about 18 per cent of Oracle’s workforce, though this remains unverified by the company.
Accounts from inside teams suggest steep reductions. One X user wrote: “Just got a call from a friend who is a senior manager (at Oracle). 6 out of 20 members have been asked to leave. In many teams, almost 50% of team members are gone. Total layoffs are almost 20%.”
In several cases, emails sent directly from “Oracle Leadership” were followed by immediate revocation of system access, effectively locking employees out within minutes.
An internal note cited “organisational changes”, adding that “because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant.”
The severance package reportedly includes 15 days’ salary for each year of service, one month’s notice pay, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and a two-month salary top-up. However, this is said to apply to those who opt to resign voluntarily.
Sources suggest another round of cuts could follow within a month, though there is no official confirmation.
The layoffs come as Oracle ramps up spending on AI infrastructure and data centres, mirroring a broader industry shift. Amazon and others have trimmed headcount this year to fund similar bets.
The signal is stark. In the AI race, jobs are the first casualty, and the axe may not have finished swinging.
