Support Telecomtalk
Andrew Bonwick
Vice President of Product Development at Relm Insurance
Madhav Sheth
CEO of Ai+ Smartphone
Stephen Rose
CEO Render Networks
JioStar Vice-Chairman Uday Shankar has reportedly urged regulators to avoid applying uniform regulations to television and digital platforms, citing their fundamentally distinct characteristics and stages of evolution. Speaking at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, Shankar cautioned that homogenised regulation could erode value in both sectors.
- Make Telecom Talk My Trusted Source
-
-
Also Read: JioHotstar Surpasses 200 Million Paid Subscribers, Driven by Cricket Popularity: Report
Distinct Ecosystems Require Tailored Regulations
“You keep hearing conversations about how all screens should be treated alike. But no, you cannot do that and if you do, you will destroy the value in both businesses,” Uday Shankar, Vice-Chairman of JioStar, said during a panel session, according to an ETTelecom report.
Elaborating on the differences, Shankar described television as a household-centric, large-screen subscription service, whereas digital platforms are accessed via personal devices with entirely different usage patterns.
“Television is a household subscription service, typically consumed on a large screen. Digital, on the other hand, is accessed via private, personal devices—individual screens with a different purpose and usage context.”
“Television is a mature, even ageing medium, while digital is just emerging,” he noted, as per the report. Shankar argued that a one-size-fits-all regulatory approach would be detrimental, and urged for platform-specific policies that nurture growth without stifling innovation.
“We should support each where required, but trying to homogenise everything will only result in homogeneously destroying value from both,” he cautioned, as per the report.
Also Read: TRAI Favours a Level Playing Field Between Traditional Broadcasters and OTT Platforms: Report
