Event Coverage
James Murdoch slams cable ops over underdeclaration; Swaraj says conditional access coming
The second edition of the annual global convention on the business of entertainment – Ficci Frames (Films Radio Audio-visuals Music Events and Shows) 2002, kicked off today at the Renaissance Convention Centre, Powai, in Mumbai, with two figures crucial to broadcasting in India taking strikingly opposing stances in their presentations.
James Murdoch, chairman & CEO, Star Group, set an extremely combative tone in his keynote address when he went hammer and tongs at the cable industry over the vexing issue of underdeclaration while saying: The problem is not that there is a middleman (the cable op) but that he is making a mess of it. Murdoch stated that the demand by the cable industry to introduce conditional access systems was more an exercise in obfuscation so as to maintain status quo rather than because of any real concern for the consumer. He also made an impassioned plea for easing up by the government on DTH broadcast in the country so a to introduce a more competitive environment in the broadcast sector.
Union information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj in her inaugural address however, gave little on most of the issues that Murdoch raised. Swaraj expressed concern at the kind of rates that consumers were being asked to pay. To quote Swaraj: area of concern relates to the rates which the consumer has been asked to pay for viewing cable television. I need not go into the issue of who is right and who is wrong. Surely all stake holders have a point of view which is justified. However, as policy makers we have to ultimately be answerable to the multitude of consumers. The rates at which prices of cable viewing has galloped is certainly a cause for worry. We have been toying with the idea of introducing a conditional access system which is mandatory for pay TV viewing. The committee which was constituted for this addressability issue has to give final touches to its recommendations. The objective should be that all stake holders get their legitimate due and the consumer also does not suffer.
In this conference, I hope some time can be devoted to the addressability aspects, especially the pricing, technology and availability of set top boxes.
Swaraj made no reference to DTH in her speech at all.
Earlier in his presentation, Murdoch, while reiterating the Star Groups long term commitment to India, pointed out the root of growth in the entertainment business is the vibrancy of Indias creative community. Murdoch said that this creativity was being impeded due to the massive underdeclaration by cable operators which made it difficult to pump back monies into programming. Citing examples outside India, Murdoch said broadcasters get 35 to 40 per cent of total subscription revenues and in turn 30 per cent of this was pumped back into programming.
In India, the broadcaster earned only 5 per cent of subscription revenues due to underdeclaration by cable ops to the tune of 85 per cent on an average.
Murdoch said underdeclaration was locking up a good Rs 20,000 million at the operator level and termed this as outright theft of copyright that needed to be stamped out.
Referring to the stand by the cable industry that a conditional access system regime would take care of this problem, and till such time as it was introduced rates should be held at present levels, Murdoch said this was a delaying tactic which was working on the hope that the issue would get entangled in bureaucratic red tape. Furthering the argument, Murdoch said it was still to be fixed who would pay for the set tops that would have to be distributed to consumers.
The only way forward, Murdoch said, was for 100 per cent declaration to become the norm in the industry. In return, broadcasters should be willing to sit down and thrash out related issues and an arrangement that was fair to all could be introduced.
The government to needs to step in, otherwise there can be no resolution to this problem was Murdochs conclusion. Murdoch also made a plea for a relaxation of the DTH policy, saying a fully digitalized service would be a potent incentive to improve services.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
