Wednesday 12 February 2014

TRAI ‘content aggregators’ regulation can change the balance of power

The telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reduced the role of the content aggregators through its new regulation, promoting multi-system operators (MSOs) and direct-to-home (DTH) service providers to instinctively feel that they can no longer be ‘bullied’ by the muscle power of Media Pro, MSM Discovery or IndiaCast UTV.
Under the new regulation, content aggregators are barred from forming bouquets which have channels from more than one broadcaster. While curbing the powers of the content aggregators, the sector regulator has allowed them to function as ‘agents’ of broadcasters. The aggregators can continue to sell bouquets of more than one broadcaster, but they will be able to bundle channels from only one broadcaster (or its group companies). 

Salient features of the regulation 
•Only Broadcasters can publish the Reference Interconnect offers (RIOs).
•If broadcasters use the service of an agent, such agent can only act in the name of and the behalf of the broadcasters
•While the content aggregators can act as agents of multiple broadcasters and negotiate deals on their behalf, they cannot bundle channels of multiple broadcasters. However, broadcaster companies belonging to the same group can bundle their channels. 
•In case an agent acts as an authorised agent of multiple broadcasters, the individual broadcasters will be required to ensure that such an agent does not bundle its channels or bouquets with that of other broadcasters.

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/4265-trai-%E2%80%98content-aggregators%E2%80%99-regulation-can-change-the-balance-of-power.html

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