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Trai seeks views on rationalisation of tariffs in non-Cas areas
NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has asked all stakeholders to respond by 25 April and counter-comments by 5 May to a consultation paper on-“Tariff Issues related to Cable TV Services in Non-CAS Areas”.
This is part of a de novo tariff exercise for cable TV services in non-Cas areas in pursuance to the Supreme Court order dated 13 May 2009. The consultation paper has been prepared based on inputs on financial and operational information given by the stakeholders (broadcasters, MSOs, cable operators, DTH operators and consumer advocacy groups); information obtained during meetings with the stakeholders and their associations; published secondary sources of information including annual reports and financial statements; and interaction with international regulators.
The paper raises 38 questions relating to wholesale tariff of channels from broadcasters to MSOs; retail tariff for cable TV services from cable operators to consumers; a-la-carte provision of channels from broadcaster to MSO; carriage & placement fee paid by broadcasters to MSOs/cable operators; tariff for commercial subscribers, and digitisation with addressability.
At the outset, Trai says the cable and satellite television market in India has experienced rapid growth, with the number of subscribers increasing from just 410,000 in 1992 to more than 83 million by the end of 2008 – a growth rate of nearly 40 per cent every year for the last 16 years. This expansion of subscriber base is mirrored by commensurate growth on the supply side. India today has a large broadcasting and distribution sector, comprising 485 television channels, 3,000-4,000 multi system operators, up to 60,000 LCOs, seven DTH operators, and several IPTV service providers.
In 2009, the revenue size of the Indian television industry was estimated at Rs 257 billion. Of this, Rs 169 billion (66 per cent) is attributed to subscription revenue generated from consumers and the balance Rs 88 billion (34 per cent) comes from the advertising market.
The last five years have changed the dynamics of the market significantly. Introduction of viewing platforms like DTH and IPTV, and digitisation of the last mile (both voluntary and mandatory) have led to a more diverse, rapidly evolving multi-platform market. From a scenario where 100 per cent of the cable & satellite (C&S) population was dependent on analog cable services, DTH commanded around 20 per cent market share in 2009. Uptake of digital services is increasing and choice is becoming possible at the consumer end. The figure below provides an estimate of the subscriber base of various platforms:
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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.
