MUMBAI: English GEC genre has become the top gainer in week 52 of Chrome Data Analytics and Media data. The genre grew by 3.37 per cent. In this genre, Comedy Central channel gained the highest OTS with 44.6 per cent in 6 metros market.

OTS is the actual census-based percentage connectivity of a channel spread across 81 million homes, as reported by Chrome DM, across analogue cable, digital cable, and DTH.

The year 2019 has been an action-packed year for broadcasters and for the cable and DTH sector as well.

As per the KPMG’s India’s Digital Future report 2019, the subscription revenues grew at a modest 8.1% in FY19 to reach Rs 46.3 crore with the NTO implementation hiccups costing growth in the last quarter.

The report also states that while the cable and satellite universe was reported to have expanded to 197 million households by end of 2018 with digital cable gaining the most, there was an erosion of the active subscriber base in the last quarter with a decline of nearly 12-15 million households in the overall C&S HH base. The potential reasons for this decline were non-renewal of subscriptions, the transition of subscribers to alternate sources of entertainment such as OTT (although this was only minimal as per our industry discussions) and certain blackouts owing to the implementation of the NTO. As a result, subscription revenues took a hit in the last quarter with subscribers facing multiple issues, including higher cable bills, while transitioning to the new regime.

MUMBAI: The Zee News Missed CallCampaign to create awareness among the people about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, made history as a colossal number of over one crore people have supported the initiative. Owing to immense public support, the Zee News campaign has become the biggest-ever digital initiative in the country. After the announcement of Citizenship Amendment Act, various states and cities in India went into a state of chaos. Even after the getting majority votes in both the houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), people came out on roads to protest against the bill. While the whole media focused on the coverage of the protests, we went a step ahead and tried to determine that what does the rest of the India want.

MUMBAI: Zee Café’s ‘Breakfast To Bed Binge’ is bringing non-stop entertainment on 31 December 2019. The channel will telecast  back-to-back seasons of the laughter riot – The Odd Couple Season 1 – Season 3 from 8 AM till midnight.

The Odd Couple stars Matthew Perry as endearing slob Oscar Madison and Thomas Lennon as uptight neat freak Felix Unger. The two former college buddies become unlikely roommates after the demise of their marriages. It’s not long after Oscar lets Felix move in, Oscar fears he’s made a monumental mistake. Oscar’s assistant, Dani, and his long-time agent, Teddy, have their hands full trying to keep Oscar’s career as a sports radio host on track as he deals with his new living situation. Fortunately, their quirky next-door neighbour Emily helps Felix adapt to his new life as a bachelor and rein in his copious eccentricities.

The Supreme Court has reportedly adjourned the hearing on the landing page matter until January 2020. This comes after The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had filed a petition challenging the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal‘s (TDSAT) judgment dated 29th May.

According to reports, TRAI, in its petition has argued that the TDSAT’s judgment has erroneously held and decided the two legal issues which have far-reaching consequences. In the first hearing on August 9th, the Supreme Court had declined to stay the TDSAT judgment after the TRAI had sought a stay on the judgment. 

MUMBAI: The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has granted two new TV channel licences in December. Sarthak Music and Shalini Television Network have received the non-news, uplinking & downlinking licences.

Sarthak Music has received the licence under the name Sidharth Gold while Shalini Television Network has got the approval to launch Shalini TV. As per the available information, the ministry has granted two licences so far in December.

MUMBAI: Can the mainstream media get it right?

That’s a question we, at indiantelevision.com, asked through the year. 

Canards, canards, canards, and more canards is what we read in the  mainline dailies.

Of course, it cut across politiics, business, lifestyle, and what have you. But the business press got it so wrong time and again through the year.

Journalists wanting to scoop each other came out first with a piece of news about a development, which was still to be born.  They were doing their jobs, and hence it made for interesting updates and information. But mostly it made for great merriment, gossip and entertainment. And of  course, it impacted the price of the stock on the exchanges.

MUMBAI: Direct to home (DTH) players have stated that the interoperability of set top box (STB) is not technically feasible due to various implementation related challenges.

The TRAI had issued a consultation paper on ‘Interoperability of Set Top Box (STB)’ for digital TV broadcasting services on 11th November 2019.

The regulator had stated that a lack of interoperability of STBs between different service providers has not only compromised the competition in the Pay-TV market but also a major hindrance to technological innovation, improvement in service quality, and sector growth.

The TRAI had also stated that the STB interoperability will bring significant benefits for the sector. An interoperable STB will extend freedom of choice to the consumers, create an open market, commoditise the STB thereby providing the advantages of scale and reduce e-waste. It will also enable the DPOs by enabling them to save lock-in capital as-well-as service-related issues of STBs.

In its response to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) consultation paper on STB interoperability, Tata Sky has submitted that interoperability will only be viable if an STB could be designed having a reasonable cost at the highest standards of quality without any detrimental impact on the security and privacy features of the STB.

MUMBAI: Is there scope for a local TV channel developed along the lines of the Hallmark Channel in India? We, at indiantelevision.com think there is. There was a time in the eighties when Hiba Video – part of Nari Hira’s Lana group – churned out low cost thrillers for the home video and cable TV market. They were reasonably successful. Then came Amit Khanna’s Plus Channel group in the nineties that too produced low cost films which notched up some success.

MUMBAI: Recently, many consumers from the south market have complained of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) channels blackout on social media platforms. In thewake of the controversy, ZEEL has clarified that all of its television channels in Tamil Nadu are fully operational across leading cable and DTH operators, including Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd., SCV and V K Digital. The broadcaster also clarified that channels are also available across all leading DTH operators viz. Airtel Digital TV, Tata Sky, Dish TV, d2h, and Sun Direct and there has been no change in the consumer price (MRP) of the individual channels or channel packs whatsoever. Zee Prime Tamil SD pack is priced at Rs 10 only.