Opinion | Trai’s attempt to review tariffs raises concerns

A few days ago, broadcaster Discovery Communications filed a writ petition in the Delhi high court against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai’s) new consultation paper on tariffs regarding broadcasting and cable services. The petition seeks a stay on the consultation paper issued on 16 August, saying that it lacks objectivity, transparency and fairness of approach. Discovery argues the consultation paper is based on the assumption that television broadcasters are responsible for manipulating and distorting pricing of channels, thereby affecting consumer choice.

To be sure, on its part, through the new consultation paper, Trai is attempting to review the six-month-old new tariff order (NTO), which allowed consumers to choose their channel on an à la carte basis with broadcasters having to declare the maximum price of each channel separately.