1. Presentation By Mrs Roop Sharma President, Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI) On Redressal of Consumer Grievances
December 18th, 2005, Guwahati
Mobile:

2. Consumer Interest in Broadcasting
All Components of the delivery chain i.e Broadcasters MSOs, Cable Operators and Subscribers must be governed by similar and supporting rules and regulations so that there is no exploitation of one by the other in the garb of regulations.
All Technologies of delivery of content like Cable, DTH, Internet and Broadband are treated in the same way. It means our regulatory mechanism must create a level playing field for these technologies.
Sufficient competition must be created in the market so that the prices can be kept low.
Consumer must be given sufficient choice so that he does not pay for unwanted content and get whatever he wants at a reasonable cost.

3. Pressures on the Government
From Business Community
From Foreign Nation and Organisations
From Political Parties
Vested interests of Politicians

4. What is the Basis of Under-Declaration?
Is it number of households connected? (figures given by INS & IRS)
Is it number of TV sets connected? (each household may have many TV sets but may not be paying for all)
Is it number of Viewers? (each household is considered to have an average five viewers)
Is it based on figures given by TAM, the only rating agency in the country?
For your Information AC Nielson, the parent company of TAM has equity stakes of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. that owns STAR TV.
Also TAM gives rating only to those broadcasters who subscribes to them. Others don’t get any mention in their list. (small broadcasters also do not get mention in their list. So they can not get advertisements)
TAM bought the other existing rating agency INTAM and created a Monopoly

5. Some Other Questions Regarding Under-Declaration
Do the Broadcasters feel that all their channels are watched all the time by all the viewers? (74 pay and yearly 150 FTA channels including 30 from Doordarshan channels)
Should the cable operators be made to pay to the broadcasters for the channels their subscribers don’t watch?
Who will decide who watches what; Broadcasters, Cable Operators, Consumers, Government or the rating agencies.
Can the above be possible without a metering device (CAS)?
On what ground the judiciary will decide cases regarding connectivity.

6. CAS- the Only Answer Consumer will get- (a) Choice of content,
(b) Choice of price, (Pay only for selected channels)
Broadcasters will get-
Full payment for the content they distribute.
The Government will get-
Full revenue from broadcasters, cable operators and consumers.

7. Why the Broadcasters Oppose CAS?
Loss of false/ created TRPs, (there is only one rating company. A question has already been raised in the Parliament to have another agency)
Loss of advertising revenue.
Avoid paying taxes to the Government on declared viewership.
Broadcasters wants the payment of the channel which consumers don’t watch.

8. Why the Consumers Oppose CAS?
They will have to pay the rates as demanded by broadcasters for the choice channels.
They will require is set-top-box for each TV set in the house (same as in DTH or Broadband)
Just like mobile phone/electricity/water services, they will have to pay the service tax and entertainment tax for each TV set (now being paid collectively by the cable operators)
They will be one subscription rate for all, rich as well as poor. All those consumers like local political leaders, local goons, celebrities, tax and high government officials etc will not be able to avoid payments.

9. The List of Mainstream Channels
Zee Turner Bouquet
Channels as on 26/12/2003
Channels launched/pay after 26/12/2003
BOUQUET-1 (15 Ch)
1. Zee TV
2. Zee Cinema
3. Zee News
4. Zee Studio
5. Zee Cafe
6. Zee Trendz
7. Zee Music
8. Zee Marathi
9. Zee Gujarati
10. Zee Punjabi
11. Zee Bangla
12. Cartoon Network
13. CNN
14. Reality TV
15. CNBC
Old Rate %
Rate - Rs /-
BOUQUET-2
1. Pogo
2. HBO
3. CNBC Aawaj
4. Zee Business
5. VH1
Total Channel - 5
Rate - Rs. 25/-
BOUQUET-3
(BFC) Break Free Cinema)
1. Zee Premier
2. Zee Action
3. Zee Classic
4. Zee Select
Total Channel - 4
Rate - Rs. 25/-

10. The List of Mainstream Channels TheOneAlliance Bouquet
Channels as on 26/12/2003
Channels launched/pay after 26/12/2003
BOUQUET-1
1. Sony Entertainment
2. SET MAX
3. Discovery Channel
4. AXN
5. Animal Planet
Total Channels - 5
Rate - Rs /-
Total Channels (Bq 1+Bq 2)
5+9=14
Total Rate - Rs
= Rs
BOUQUET-2
1. Ten Sports
2. SAB TV
3. MTV
4. Nicklodeon
5. Discovery Life Style
6. NDTV 24X7 (English)
7. NDTV India (Hindi)
8. NDTV Profit
9. Animax
Total Channels - 9
Rate - Rs. 44/-

11. The List of Mainstream Channels
Star TV
Channels as on 26/12/2003
Channels launched/pay after 26/12/2003
BOUQUET-1
1. Star Plus
2. Star Gold
3. Star Movie
4. Star World
5. Star News
6. Star Utsav
7. Channel V
8. NGC
9. Star Vijay
10. The History Channel
Total Channel - 10
Rate - Rs /-
BOUQUET-2
1. Star One
2. Hungama
3. Disney Channel
4. Toon Disney
Total Channel - 4
Rate - Rs. 22/-
Total Channel =14
Total Rate = Rs.

12. The List of Mainstream Channels
Sports Channels
1. ESPN
2. Star Sports
Total Channel - 2
Old Rate %
Rate - Rs 42.50

13. Subscription Fee of All Pay Channels Main Pay Channels
Zee Turner : Bouquet I + II + III (19 Ch) : Rs Rs 25 + Rs = Rs Star TV : Bouquet I + II (14 Ch) : Rs Rs = Rs One Alliance : Bouquet I + II (14 Ch) : Rs Rs = Rs Sports Channels : ESPN + Star Sports = Rs Zoom : = Rs B4U: = Rs Total 51 Main Pay Channels = Rs

14. Subscription Fees of All Pay Channels Regional Channels
Mainstream Pay Channels Rs Sun Network Channels : Tamil Channels + Kannada Channels + Telugu Channels : Rs 15 + Rs 18 + Rs 10 = Rs Raj TV: = Rs Total = Rs

15. Subscription Fee of All Pay Channels
All Pay Channels Rs Local Video Channels Rs
Basic Package Charge* (Actual Cost) (Rounded off) (Rs %) Rs (Cost decided by Ministry Rs %= Rs 77) Total (Rounded off) Rs Increase of 4% from 01 Jan Rs Grand Total Rs Entertainment Tax in Delhi = Rs Service 10.2% = Rs Total Subscription fee to be paid by a subscriber if he subscribes to all the pay channels in Delhi = Rs

16. If the Regulator had Ensured that
All new pay channels or the ones made pay from FTA after 26 December 2003 were sold only a-la-carte and
The new pay channels were only given through CAS to the consumers on a-la-carte basis
We would not be seeing the present chaos where there is exploitation of consumers to no extent. It is good that TRAI is considering a review of the last tariff order in the above perspective.

17. For the Benefit of Consumers…
Let’s resurrect CAS.
Thank You
2003