TRAI asks DPOs to display the genre of channels

TRAI has directed all Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) to ensure compliance with the relevant rules regarding listing of genre-wise channels in electronic programme guide.

Every broadcaster shall declare the genre of its channels and such genre shall be either ‘Devotional’ or ‘General Entertainment’ or ‘Infotainment’ or ‘Kids’ or ‘Movies’ or ‘Music’ or ‘News and Current Affairs’ or ‘Sports’ or ‘Miscellaneous’, said the regulator in a notification.

It shall be mandatory for the distributor to place all the television channels available on its platform in the electronic programme guide, in such a manner that all the television channels of a particular language in a genre are displayed together consecutively and one television channel shall appear at one place only.

Every distributor of television channels shall assign a unique channel number for each television channel available on the distribution network.

All multi system operators have to ensure compliance of the provisions of the Interconnection Regulations related to assigning a unique channel number for each television channel available on the distribution network and indicating genre of television channels as declared by the broadcaster in the interconnection agreement, and to submit to the authority the data with respect to the same.

“And whereas the Authority analysed the data received from multi system operators, in response to the said letter, and observed that some of the multi system operators have still failed to comply with the said provisions of regulation 18 of the Interconnection Regulations and regulation 38 of the QoS Regulations. Now, therefore, the Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred upon it under section 13, read with clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 11, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 (24 of 1997), hereby directs all the Distribution Platform Operators (Multi System Operators, DTH Operators, HITS Operator and IPTV Operators) to
(a) ensure compliance to regulation 18 of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017 and regulation 38 of the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Standards of Quality of Service and Consumer Protection (Addressable Systems) Regulations, 2017, by ensuring that all the television channels of a particular language in a genre are displayed together consecutively in the electronic programme guide and one television channel appears at one place only, and

(b) furnish compliance report via email to interconnect-bcs@trai.gov.in within fifteen days from the date of issue of this Direction.”