TRAI's interventions have helped TV consumers: Chairman PD Vaghela

TRAI Chairman PD Vaghela has said that TRAI interventions have helped TV consumers in India. TRAI promotes consumer choice and healthy competition among the service providers, he said during the 10^th edition of the CII Big Picture Summit on Thursday.

Consumers remain at the core of the regulator, said the chairman at the virtual event.

According to him, telecom and broadcast tariff are among the lowest in the world is a testament to the fact that TRAI's measures have helped the consumers, he said, adding that TRAI's main aim is to create a level playing field for all the stakeholders.

The regulator is committed to creating simplified and time-bound procedures for applications and approvals to create end-to-end solutions for all the stakeholders of the industry. The regulator is also working on a scheme to promote local manufacturing of equipment in telecom and broadcasting sectors, he maintained.  

“TRAI is in for healthy competition among various service providers. TRAI might review the regulations to ensure a level playing field between TV and OTT,” Vaghela said.

“Our television serials and music connect us to the world. The pay TV sector has still potential to expand. "I call upon the TV stakeholders to ensure 100 percent household TV penetration. The pandemic did affect the sector. However, the Indian broadcast sector keeps the Indian audience entertained," he said.  

He claimed that TRAI’s consultation process is considered among the most transparent procedures in the world. He said that he believes in light-touch regulation.

The chairman said that TRAI will identify various bottlenecks and process requirements and come up with measures for reforms needed in policy and processes in terms of ease of doing business in the sector.

In digital media, 5G will enhance the growth of technological innovations. Asserting the need for a level playing field, he said. “We would want the TV industry to compete with the digital media by reviewing the regulation to enable a level playing field,” he said, adding that the pandemic has proved to be a boon for digital media and there has been a high growth in SVOD subscriber base.

TV, according to him, will continue to account for 40% of the Indian M&E market in the next 3-4 years. “Pay TV industry in India has a huge scope for growth. With 55% penetration, the pay TV sector still has a lot of potential to expand. I call upon our industry stakeholders to work together and strive to ensure 100% television household penetration.”

He maintained that the industry knows what is best for it, and nobody needs to be prescriptive if it does not impinge on the interests of consumers and other stakeholders. Technological convergence of network platforms and devices is taking place. Technological disruption in the form of AI, AR, VR, and M2M communications present great opportunities, he said.

The government should empower TRAI to stem piracy. “While we endeavour to control piracy, I ask the government to enforce a legal enforcement structure further or empower TRAI with special powers to penalise offenders. Piracy damages the service providers, the consumers as well as government revenues,” he said, assuring solutions with regard to parity in channel prices across different mediums including DD Free Dish.