Star, Sony, Zee channels go off air over pricing issues with cable operators

In a recent development, three of India's largest media companies, Star, Sony, and Zee, have gone off cable platforms due to the implementation of the New Tariff Order 3.0 (NTO 3.0). This move has disrupted the Indian media landscape, leaving many viewers without access to popular TV channels as just a black screen appearing on the television.

The NTO 3.0 was implemented on February 1 this year under which broadcasters have increased prices in the range of 10-25 per cent. However, the new pricing structure has led to disputes between media companies and local cable operators, with many channels being taken off the air due to pricing disagreements.

The dispute between Star, Sony, and Zee and cable operators centres on the pricing of their channels. The media companies claim that the new pricing is necessary to keep their revenue up, while cable operators argue that the new regulations have led to an increase in costs for them and since Indian consumers are price sensitive, they're fearful of passing the cost to them owing disconnections.

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"Broadcasters have, therefore, been left with little choice but to turn off the supply of content to these distributors. We remain hopeful of their cooperation and look forward to a scenario where content is seamlessly available to all television viewers across the country," Siddharth Jain, IBDF secretary general said in a statement.

The decision to go off cable platforms has left many viewers without access to popular TV channels. Fans of popular shows and sports events have been left disappointed by the absence of channels such as Star Plus, Zee TV and Sony Entertainment Television.

In the meantime, viewers have been left with few options. Some have turned to DTH and streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, while others have resorted to illegal streaming sites.

The dispute highlights the need for greater transparency in the pricing and packaging of TV channels and the importance of finding a resolution that benefits both media companies and cable operators while ensuring that consumers have access to the content they want to watch.

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