MUMBAI: It’s that time of the year when broadcasters disclose how much the distribution platform operators will have to pay for the channels they pipe into Indian TV homes. The three major networks JioStar, Zee and Sony Pictures Networks India have rolled out their reference interconnect orders  (Rios) regarding the broadcast tariffs that cable ops, DTH ops and IPTV players have to cough up for 2025. At first glance, it appears s if broadcasters have been reasonable in their rate increases by hiking channel prices between five and 15 per cent on the higher side. And quite a few channel prices have been maintained as well. The rates become effective 1 February 2025.

Let’s begin with JioStar.Its 134 channel offering after the merger of Star and Jio definitely looks impressive. As do the number of packs its distribution team has come up with: 83 in all packs, which includes 85 standard definition channels, 44 HD channels, five FTA channels. The bouquets also include 19 news channels from Network 18, infotainment channels from both National Geographic and AETN18, general entertainment channels in various languages from both Star and Colors, kids channels (including Disney), music channels (MTV and Maa Music), regional language channels and of course above all sports channels in various languages.

On an a la carte basis, JioStar’s channels in various languages in standard definition have been priced at between Rs 25 (for Maa TV and Colors Kannada respectively)  and 10 paise (all its news channels).

Its HD channels are priced between Rs 25 a(Maa HD, Star Plus HD, Vijay HD, Colors Kannada and Asianet) and 10 paise(VH1 HD, MTV Beats HD and MTV HD). .

On the bundle side, its cheapest pack, apart from the free to air channels, is at     Rs 17 for the Disney Kids SD pack with the most expensive one being the Star Premium Pack Marathi Lite Hindi HD at Rs 240.

The  Star Value Pack  SD Hindi pack,  priced at Rs 110 has 30 channels including both Star Plus and Colors, a chunk of news channels, movie channels, infotainment channels, kids channels – but no Disney - the sports channels Star Sports 1 Hindi, Sports 18, and Star Sports 3. The Star Premium Pack Lite Hindi HD which is priced at Rs 210 has 43 channels, including seven sports channels, Colors HD but no Star Plus.

The broadcaster has built clever packs which are a mix of regional language channels only and it has also mixed regional languages to create special packs and regional language channels with its  Hindi channels to create even more niche packs to meet the requirement of nomadic domestic Indians.

Let’s now take a look at Zee. Zee has kept the number of packs limited to 30 and it’s a la carte rates are also pretty much simpler. It’s mainline general entertainment channels in every language apart from Malayalam have been kept at a price of Rs 19 (Zee TV Hindi, Zee TV Marathi, Zee Bangla, Zee Sarthak, Zee Telugu and Zee Kannada). Zee Keralam, however, has been priced at Rs 10 on a la carte basis. Its movie channels have been kept between a band of Rs 19 (Zee Cinema) and 10 paise (Zee Classic). It has priced most of its HD channels at Rs 19 with the lowest one priced at Rs 3 (& prive HD).

Zee TV has bundled its regional language channel packs at a higher price than its Hindi ones. For instance, the Zee all-in-one pack Hindi HD has a sticker price of Rs 89 while its all-in-one Telugu and Tamil packs are priced at Rs 120.It has also thrown in penetration incentives if the distribution platform operators place the channels in the preferred LCN number that are agreed upon between Zee and the DPO.

Now on to Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI). SPNI has increased the a la carte pricing for some of its  channels, while keeping them steady for others. For example, Sony Wah  which was priced at Rs 0.1, is now priced at Rs 1. Similarly, Sony Max 2 has increased to Rs 2 from Rs 1, and Sony Sports Ten 4 is now priced at Rs 19, up from Rs 17. Additionally, the pricing for bouquets has been revised which has gone up  between four per cent and 12 per cent. The Happy India Smart - Hindi pack is now priced at Rs 54 (previously Rs 48), while the Happy India Smart - Marathi pack is now priced at Rs 56 (previously Rs 51). The Happy Smart Bangla too has risen from 51 to Rs 56 but with the channel Max 1 being added to it.

Hopefully, these marginal price revisions don’t start a battle between the  cable TV and DTH fraternity and broadcasters like they did the last time in 2023 when broadcasters had to resort to switch offs because cable TV operators resisted. The DPOs must remember the price of almost everything has gone up: the rupee is at Rs 85, potatoes are at Rs 60 and even petrol is at a high.

Already, consumers are turning away from cable TV and DTH as is evident in the drop in the number of subscribers in the past six months. For the sake of the entire cable and satellite TV industry, the entire trade must work together and not battle against each other. Otherwise, the number of cord cutters and cord-nevers will only increase. And along with it, the tribe of streamers.