House panel focuses on GST on cable operators, viewers’ financial burden

The financial burden on viewers imposed by being forced to subscribe to bouquets of television channels and the burden of GST on local cable operators dominated the meeting of parliamentary committee on communications and information technology on Wednesday.

It is understood that the members raised the issue of companies forcing channel bouquets upon viewers which increases the cost for the end user. Users are forced to buy channel bouquets even though an average family watches fewer than six channels in a month, some members argued. At least one member asked TRAI why channels could not be unbundled and why the local cable operators (LCOs) should not be allowed to offer individual channels. It is understood that TRAI said that bundling is better because it reduces the costs for TV channels.