Date: 17.02.2019
To
Sri Rajvardhan Rathore
Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C)
Ministry for Information & Broadcasting
A Wing, Shastri Bhavan
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road
NEW DELHI-110 001
Dear Sir,
Sub: Regarding New TRAI rules in connection with Broadcasting of Television Channels
According to New TRAI rules in connection with Broadcasting of Television Channels, TV viewers can pay the amount to the channels they opted for. Apparently it seems good as the unwanted channels are eliminated. But, in practice, it has become burden on the TV viewers. There are two kinds of operators that transmit the channels to our Home - One is DTH operators, another is cable TV operators.
Limited Channels Transmission- Losing opportunity to choose
As both DTH operators and cable TV operators are having limited Channels, TV viewer is losing the opportunity of choosing the channel that he wished for. There are two reasons for losing the opportunity. One is the reason that the Operator is transmitting limited channels. Because of this, the viewer, though the channel that he/she wished for exists in reality, cannot choose that channel as the operator does not transmit. Another reason is that, as the operator does not transmit some channels, the viewer will become ignorant of the existence of those channels.
Previously, as the viewer was the dependent on the operators’ choice, the viewer had to limit himself to the channels that the operator transmitted. Now, as the viewer has right to choose, why should a viewer limit himself to the channels that an operator transmits? If any viewer wants to switchover to another operator he will be having no suitable option. As per records available now, there is No operator who transmits all channels. For Example, a viewer under Airtel DTH cannot select HMTV (Telugu news channel) or Mahaa TV (Telugu news channel).. etc., as Airtel operator does not transmit them. If the same viewer switches over to Sun net work, he has to lose 10Tv (Telugu news channel)…etc. If he switches over to cable net work, he has to lose some English channels. So the viewers are forced to lose their right to choose. They have to compromise in choosing.
Network Capacity Fee (NCF)
The viewers hitherto do not know about this. They simply paid some pre-determined amount to operator and watched TV. Now, According to TRAI rules, the viewers have to pay Rs 153.40 (Actual NCF Rs 130 + 18% GST there on) for first 100 channels, and Rs 23.60 (Actual NCF Rs 20 + 18% GST there on) for every additional 25 Channels thereafter. These amounts are mandatorily paid by the viewers to DTH operator or cable TV operator in addition to the amounts to pay channels. This is the reason why the TV Viewers are burdened heavily. These 100 channels counting for NCF Rs 153.40 include free Channels like Doordarsan or some free Private channels. Though these channels are free, viewers have to pay for them in the form of NCF.
Now, the Cable TV operators are advertising that they give 100 free channels for Rs 153.40 (Actual NCF Rs 130 + 18% GST there on). But they are not revealing as to what are the channels they are giving free. As per TRAI rules NCF Rs 153.40 is for 100 channels but not for 100 free channels only. These 100 channels may include paid channels also. So, there is no discrimination between free and paid channels in making Number 100. But in case of Cable TV operators, the viewers have no choice to remove unwanted free channels and add paid channels in lieu of removed ones within the limit of 100 channels. So, the viewers are forced to pay NCF too for pay channels in addition to Rs 153.40. Here also the viewers have lost their right to choose and are burdened.
Here another point is to be noted. The DTH operators and cable TV operators are collecting the amounts from Channel owners also in order to broadcast the channel. The amount depends upon the TRP rating of that channel and the availability of the Band Width with the operator. The amount that an operator collects from Channel Owner is ranging from Rs 30 lakhs to Rs 1Cr per annum. So the operator is collecting both from Channel owner and TV viewers in the form of NCF.
Pay channels charge more
Taking the advantage of the TRAI’s decision that pay channel owners can charge not exceeding Rs 19/-; some of the Pay channel owners, hitherto charged less amounts, have fixed higher charges. Some channel owners, having 2 or more channels with less popular channels have started making all their channels a bundle with a fixed amount in order to lure the viewers. If the viewers want to choose single channel of that bundle, it costs more. If the bundle is chosen, it exceeds the limit of the 100 channels and the NCF charges should be paid more. In either way, the TV viewers are subjects for exploitation.
Sir, in early 80s, only Doordarsan Channels used to be there. Later Government of India allowed private channels to operate and made the people accustomed to them. Later Private operators are allowed by the Government by leasing out the transponders to them. Now the TV has become a part of life. Taking this situation as advantage, the Private operators and Channel owners conjointly started exploiting the TV Viewers. The entire entertainment market has lost ground from the feet of GOI to Private operators. Even though the Prasar Bharathi has mandated DD to be broadcast freely, DD is not in a position to compete with other Channels. So no one tend to watch them. In European countries majority of people are watching Government Channels as they are in a position of challenging the private channels in every respect. Unfortunately for reasons better known to you and GOI, the GOI is not in a position to elevate DD to the challenging levels.
Sir, in this speed era, without news and without entertainment, people of this country will be pushed to dark corners. The revolution of the Technology must be used not only in broadcasting techniques but also in bringing down the charges making it cheaper and making it available to all. Unfortunately, the policies of GOI, instead of making it cheaper, are giving impetus to the exploitation of these private operators.
As the decisions of GOI are basis for these problems of TV viewers, only GOI have to solve them. In order to solve these problems and in order to lessen the burden on millions of TV viewers in India, we place the following demands before you.
Demands
01. All the Domestic and International channels permitted to operate in our country should be broadcast by GOI with no NCF. Then it shall be possible to the TV Viewers to choose whatever they wish.
02. Until the first demand is materialised, NCF is to be abolished as the private operators are collecting charges from Channel owners as well.
03. GST should be abolished in Toto on the charges being paid by TV Viewers.
Thanking you,
Yours truly
(V. Sambi Reddy) (M.V. Anjaneyulu)
President Secretary
CC to : Sri RS Sarma, Chairman, TRAI
