MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has extended the deadline for implementation of landing page direction from 31 March to 31 May. As per a release from the authority, the move has been taken following a request from All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF).

Back in last December, the regulatory body directed all broadcasters and distributors to restrain from placing any registered satellite television channel, whose TV rating is released by TV rating agency, on the landing LCN or landing channel or the boot-up screen.

The reason behind this order, according to TRAI, was to protect the interest of service providers and consumers while ensuring “orderly growth of the sector”.

TRAI received a representation from AIDCF requesting the authority to extend the implementation for a further period of two months. The latter made the request in view of the appeal against the direction pending TDSAT and its hearing and pronouncement of order may go beyond the 31 March deadline.

AIDCF also pointed out that the matter being under judicial consideration, any action on the said direction will not only be prejudicial to their right and contentions but also against the principle of natural justice. As the regulatory body of the sector found merit in the request, the deadline has been pushed further.

Landing channel or landing page or landing logical channel number (LCN) refers to the default LCN that is displayed whenever a STB is switched on. Any TV channel placed on this page is available to all STBs connected to the network of a distributor and is regarded as a prized real estate by DPOs.

During a consultation process on the issue, many broadcasters had admitted that placing a TV channel on the landing page could influence the audience data or TV rating points (TRPs), while MSOs and other distributors had stated there were no such influence on ratings or if any, they were minimal.