One of the major changes to the Indian DTH (Direct-to-Home) sector will come soon as Jio Star has merged and filed pricing for the broadcasting packages. These TV channel packs are priced at a premium compared to what users previously paid for individual packs. Jio Star is likely going to have the upper hand over the competitors due to the major content rights it has for the Indian market. The company has filed over 83 different channel packs, which include a total of 143 channels. Out of this, 85 channels are SD (standard definition) and 44 are HD (high-definition). There are also 5 FTA (Free-to-Air) channels offered as well.
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Jio Star Increases Prices for Customers in a Bid to Revive Business
The DTH sector has been surfing through a slump due to the rise of OTT (over-the-top) content consumption in India since the pandemic. Jio Star has increased the prices of the channel packs because it wants to earn more from its customers. The company has priced the Star Value Pack (SVP) for Rs 110, which is more than what you got with Star (Rs 59) and Viacom18 (Rs 34) Hindi packages.
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Note that it isn't just Jio Star that is raising prices. Sony Pictures Networks and ZEE Entertainment also recently hiked the prices of channel packs for the customers. The previous prices were unsustainable for a sector that's continously witnessing a decline in the customer base. Jio Star has popular channels including Star Plus, Star Gold, Colors, and Star Sports under its banner. Broadcasting rights to India's cricket games, domestic cricket games, and the Indian Premier League (IPL) are also with Jio Star only.
With such a strong position in the market in terms of broadcasting rights, and higher tariffs, the company is likely to witness an incline in overall revenues.
