Hundreds of multi-system operators (MSOs), or cable TV operators, have not yet complied with all the terms and conditions for their registration as laid down by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
According to the latest list released by MIB, there are a little over 1,700 operators and among them, about 230 are compliant. The registration of more than 250 MSOs, which are non-compliant, remains suspended.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the Ministry had issued an advisory in March asking the registered broadcasters to enter into fresh inter-connection or renewal agreements with only those MSOs whose status was “compliant”. The Ministry decided to mark as “non-compliant” all the operators that had failed to adhere to the terms and conditions of registration.
The recorded violations included contravention of audit regulations, non-furnishing of information to the Ministry and non-intimation of change of director or shareholder.
The Ministry had earlier said that if a broadcaster already had an agreement with a non-compliant MSO, it was required to contact the operator and ask the company to get the status changed. As mandated under the inter-connection regulation issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), a broadcaster is required to sign an agreement with the distributor of TV channels for providing signals on a non-discriminatory basis.
In the March advisory, the Ministry had taken note of the feedback from broadcasters about the issues related to “under-reporting” of subscriber base and non-compliance to the TRAI’s audit regulation by cable operators, resulting in loss of revenue to them.
“The Inter-connection Regulations 2017 issued by TRAI mandates that every distributor of television channels, once in a calendar year, shall cause audit of its subscriber management system, conditional access system and other related systems by an auditor to verify that the monthly subscription reports made available by the distributor to the broadcasters are complete, true and correct,” the advisory said.
The regulations also extend an option to the broadcasters to get audited the systems used by the distributors of TV channels, if they are not satisfied with the audit report.
As necessary under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act and associated rules, the I&B Ministry had previously ordered the MSOs to provide all the relevant details via its Digital India portal. “It has been observed that despite the above mechanisms being in place, the response of the majority of MSOs has not been satisfactory. Despite providing ample opportunities, many of them failed to get registered on Digital India portal and furnish the information on the portal,” the advisory had said.
