New Delhi: Industry Regulator TRAI has issued directions to DPOs to place channels within the genre declared by Broadcasters. Directions have been issued by TRAI since the agency was receiving complaints that channels were being placed on dual LCNs or out of genre.
TRAI in its direction to DPOs towards display of channels on Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) stated “In order to protect the interest of service providers and consumers and to ensure orderly growth of the sector, hereby directs all distributors of the TV channels to ensure that the TV Channels of the same genre, as declared by broadcaster, are placed consecutively and one channel should appear only at once place.”
The regulator has also warned of action against erring distributors under the TRAI Act 1997. It has cited clause 18 in Interconnect Regulations as the reference for clarification on the matter that has become a topic of discussion in the recent past. TRAI stated that the authority has received many complaints in the recent past that are related to transmission of TV channels on dual LCN or placement of channels in out of genre.
The issue gains significance due to the complaint launched by couple of Private News Broadcasters against a newly launched News Channel in Hindi.
