Smita Gaikwad, 45, spends her evenings watching English movies and news on television. For that, she pays Tata Sky Rs 8,000 a year. She also binges on series and movies on Netflix and Amazon Prime, paying around 11,000 a year. The Mumbai-based media and marketing professional is unaware that from Dec. 29, she is allowed to create her own pay TV packages that can help lighten her Rs 19,000 yearly bill.
So, if a consumer still subscribes to 250 channels from any broadcaster, monthly bill will remain at Rs 350-450.
Moreover, broadcasters are betting on discounting to keep them hooked. “The amount of discounting is the choice of the broadcaster and that is something which is in sync with the consumer-led pricing mechanism,” Zee’s Misra said. “It’s an open market operation. You have the power of choice and you have the power of discount.”
CLSA, in a report, agreed that channel bouquets will prevail. The brokerage’s analysis of pricing of top broadcasters showed that they offer a 20-65 percent discount.
Yet, according to TRAI, consumers stand to gain if they subscribe only to the channels they need. In its order citing data by the Broadcast Audience Research Council, the regulator said more than 90 percent of families view or flip 50 channels or less.
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