Alert For DTH Users: Zee, Star India, Sony Announce New Tariff (Full Details Of New Rates)

Many broadcasters are releasing the new prices for channels as well as bouquets as per the Bombay High Court order that in June upheld the New Tariff Order (NTO), 2020.

New Prices Broadcasters

After that Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) asked, so Zee Entertainment, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), Star India and Viacom18 have come out with new prices broadcasters for a compliance report on NTO 2.0.

These new prices, which are expected to kick in from December 2021, can adversely impact subscription and advertising revenues according to analysts.

As per this new order, there is no price cap on channels that are outside a bouquet and are sold only a la carte. 

Pricing For The Popular Channels

Apart from this, NTO 2.0 also lowers the price cap on channels in a bouquet from Rs 19 a channel to Rs 12.

Under the new pricing, premium English channels like Zee Cafe and &flix would continue to be available as a separate bouquet, said Zee’s, Chief Revenue Officer–Affiliate Sales, Atul Das.

Further adding, “Each bouquet constitutes a mix of channels, including GEC (general entertainment channels (GEC), movies, news, music and lifestyle genres,”.

Coming to one of the network’s most popular Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC), Zee TV, it is not part of a bouquet and has been priced at Rs 22.

With this regime, broadcasters either have to bring down the price of channels to make them part of a bouquet or increase their prices by unbundling them. 

Several broadcasters have chosen to remove their popular channels from the bouquet so that they can offer them as standalone.

Coming to Sony entertainment, it has priced its Hindi GECs Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and Sony Sab at Rs 24 and Rs 23, respectively. 

While sports channels like Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 2 have been priced at Rs 20.

On the other hand, Star India’s popular GEC and sports channels have been priced above Rs 19. 

Star Sports 1 Hindi has been priced at Rs 21 among others and Star Plus is at Rs 23, Star Jalsha at Rs 23 and Star Sports 1 and Star Sports Select 1 at Rs 23 each.