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Broadcasters, MSOs agree for genre-wise switch off ahead of 1 November
MUMBAI: Major broadcasters and multi-system operators (MSOs) have agreed to switch off genre-wise analogue signals of television channels in phases ahead of the 1 November deadline for digitisation in the four metros.
The consent of the broadcasters would not violate the earlier Tdsat ruling in favour of ESPN Star Sports that stated that the MSOs could not switch off analogue delivery of popular channels before 1 November.
Star, Zee, Multi Screen Media (MSM) and TV18 Group are among the major broadcasters who are in agreement with the MSOs, a move set to smoothen the transition from analogue to digital cable TV in the four metros.
Industry sources said the process of phase-wise withdrawal could begin from 10 October, three weeks before the complete analogue cable switch off. The first channels being considered would be English movie channels.
“We have agreed for a genre-wise switch off in phases,” Media Network and Distribution Ltd MD and CEO Yogesh Radhakrishnan told Indiantelevision.com. Media Network distributes the Times Group of television channels including Times Now, ET Now, Movies Now and Zoom.
What this means in effect is that a particular genre of channels will not be available on analogue cable in the four metros in different time periods before 1 November.
“The date for digitisation deadline is not far off. All hell won‘t break loose and it is a practical step to take if we are to move into the new digital era. This is also a way to make consumers realise that they can‘t view television content from 1 November if they don‘t have digital STBs,” an industry source said.
The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and MSOs had met under the aegis of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry officials to discuss on the state of preparedness of the stakeholders for meeting the 31 October deadline. The government has mandated the shutting down of analogue cable TV by 31 October midnight in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
It is not clear, however, if all the broadcasters are in agreement with this decision. Earlier, sports broadcaster ESPN, which is now telecasting the T20 World Cup, had moved the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (Tdsat) alleging that MSOs had stopped re-transmission of signals of its channels – ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket — with a view to ensure the order of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry for digitisation of all cable networks in Delhi is implemented.
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Inshorts Group chief Deepit Purkayastha joins IAB video council for Southeast Asia and India
The co-founder and chief executive of the short-form content platform has been inducted into the IAB SEA+India Video Council, giving India a stronger voice in shaping digital video frameworks
NOIDA: India has long been the world’s most chaotic, multilingual and mobile-first digital market. Now, one of its most prominent short-video executives is getting a seat at the table where the rules are written.
Deepit Purkayastha, co-founder and chief executive of Inshorts Group, has been selected as a member of the IAB SEA+India Video Council for 2026. Run by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, the council brings together senior leaders from Southeast Asia and India to shape standards, best practices and measurement frameworks for the fast-evolving video and digital advertising ecosystem.
The timing is pointed. According to the IAMAI-Kantar Internet in India Report 2025, over 588 million Indians are now consuming short-video content, with growth increasingly driven by rural and non-metro audiences. India’s active internet user base has crossed 950 million, with 57 per cent of users now coming from rural markets. Yet the frameworks that govern how video consumption is measured and monetised were largely designed for single-language, Western markets and have struggled to keep pace with the scale, diversity and complexity of India’s digital landscape.
Purkayastha is no stranger to these debates. He already serves on the AI Council at Marketing and Media Alliance India and as co-chair of the Digital Entertainment Committee at the Internet and Mobile Association of India. His induction into the IAB SEA+India Video Council extends that influence into the global video standards arena.
Inshorts Group sits squarely at the intersection of these forces. Its flagship product, Inshorts, India’s highest-rated short news app, reaches 12 million active users with 60-word news summaries. Its sister platform, Public App, reaches 80 million monthly active users across more than 700 districts and 12 languages, serving communities that most global platforms barely register.
Purkayastha said the opportunity was about building something more representative. “India today sits at the centre of the global video ecosystem, but the frameworks that define how value is created and measured have not always kept pace with the realities of our market,” he said. “Being part of the IAB SEA+India Video Council is an opportunity to contribute to a more representative and future-ready approach, one that accounts for diversity in language, context, and user intent.”
As a council member, Purkayastha will contribute to shaping regional standards across video advertising, measurement and platform governance, with a focus on frameworks that are native to India’s multilingual, mobile-first ecosystem rather than imported from global benchmarks designed elsewhere.
For years, India has been content to play by rules written for other markets. Purkayastha’s induction is a signal that it is done waiting to be consulted and ready to start writing them.
