Have you ever wondered why you have to sit through advertisements while watching your favourite prime time shows on TV despite having to pay a monthly subscription fee to your local cable operator or DTH provider. It's not like they are providing you the service for free anyway, like free Apps on your cell phone are free because they get their revenue from advertisers, then why can't the same concept apply to Pay channels.
Well the answer is fairly simple, the free to air channels get their total revenue only from advertisers while pay channels get their revenue from a dual source, one part from the advertisers and one half from the cable or DTH operators, who in turn recover it from you in the form of subscription fee. But then who regulates how long an advertisement break can be, what percentage of a program duration can be comprised of Ads. The same TRAI which functions to regulate telecom operators for DOT also regulates the channels for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
The telecom regulatory authority of India (TRAI) has released the details about average duration of Ads that are telecast on commercial channels during an hour of broadcast during prime time 7PM to 10PM. The data released by TRAI is as follows.
Also read: A handy guide to Satellites used for broadcasting DTH signals in India
Data for News Channels for the period 30 March To 29 June 2015
| Name of the Broadcaster | Name of the Channel | Average duration per hour of Advertisements during peak hours (in minutes) |
| 1 | Independent News Service Pvt Ltd | INDIA TV | 22.66 |
| 2 | ZEE AKAASH NEWS PVT. LTD. | 24 GHANTA | 21.73 |
| 3 | ZEE MEDIA CORPORATION LIMITED | 24 TAAS | 21.65 |
| 4 | New Delhi Television Limited | NDTV India | 21.17 |
| 5 | MCCS | ABP News | 21.10 |
| 6 | IBN Lokmat News Private Limited | IBN Lokmat | 20.18 |
| 7 | ZEE MEDIA CORPORATION LIMITED | ZEE NEWS | 19.95 |
| 8 | TV TODAY NETWORK LTD. | AAJ TAK | 19.70 |
| 9 | News24 Broadcast India Ltd. | News24 | 19.46 |
| 10 | Panorama Television Private Limited | ETV Rajasthan | 17.75 |
| 11 | MCCS | ABP Ananda | 17.52 |
| 12 | TV18 Broadcast Ltd | IBN 7 | 17.26 |
| 13 | TV TODAY NETWORK LTD. | TEZ | 17.24 |
| 14 | New Delhi Television Limited | NDTV Profit | 16.20 |
| 15 | MCCS | ABP Majha | 16.05 |
| 16 | TV TODAY NETWORK LTD. | DILLI AAJTAK | 15.80 |
| 17 | ZEE MEDIA CORPORATION LIMITED | ZEE 24GHANTE M.P. | 15.22 |
| 18 | TV TODAY NETWORK LTD. | HEDLINES TODAY | 14.96 |
| 19 | TV18 Broadcast Ltd | CNN-IBN | 14.93 |
| 20 | ZEE MEDIA CORPORATION LIMITED | Zee Telugu | 13.93 |
| 21 | ZEE MEDIA CORPORATION LIMITED | Zee Kannada | 13.83 |
| 22 | Prism TV Private Limited | ETV Marathi | 13.78 |
| 23 | ASIANET NEWS NETWORK PRIVATE LIMITED | Asianet News | 13.67 |
| 24 | Prism TV Private Limited | ETV Bangla | 13.60 |
| 25 | ASIANET NEWS NETWORK PRIVATE LIMITED | Suvarna News | 13.59 |
| 26 | ZEE MEDIA CORPORATION LIMITED | ZEE PUNJABI | 13.52 |
| 27 | Panorama Television Private Limited | ETV U.P. | 13.49 |
| 28 | TV18 Broadcast Ltd | CNBC TV18 | 13.49 |
| 29 | Prism TV Private Limited | ETV Kannada | 13.47 |
| 30 | EENADU TELEVISION PRIVATE LIMITED | ETV2 A.P. | 13.41 |
| 31 | Prism TV Private Limited | ETV Gujarati | 13.39 |
| 32 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | SUN NEWS | 13.30 |
| 33 | Panorama Television Private Limited | ETV Bihar | 13.10 |
| 34 | Panorama Television Private Limited | ETV Urdu | 12.97 |
| 35 | MM TV Ltd. | Manorama News | 12.77 |
| 36 | The Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Company Limited | MATHRUBHUMI NEWS | 12.42 |
Data for Pay Non-news Channels for the period 30 March To 29 June 2015
| Name of the Broadcaster | Name of Pay Channel (Non News) | Average duration per hour of Advertisements during peak hours (in minutes) |
| 1 | B4U Broadband India Pvt. Ltd. | B4U Movies | 18.69 |
| 2 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | UDAYA MOVIES | 17.68 |
| 3 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | SUN TV | 17.57 |
| 4 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | SUN TV HD | 17.57 |
| 5 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | KIRAN | 17.42 |
| 6 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | UDAYA MUSICS | 17.31 |
| 7 | E 24 Glamour Ltd | E24 | 17.22 |
| 8 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | GEMINI MOVIES | 16.92 |
| 9 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | SUN MUSIC | 16.87 |
| 10 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | SUN MUSIC HD | 16.87 |
| 11 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | K TV | 16.48 |
| 12 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | K TV HD | 16.48 |
| 13 | Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. | SAB TV | 16.22 |
| 14 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | GEMINI TV | 16.21 |
| 15 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | GEMINI TV HD | 16.21 |
| 16 | Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. | SONY TV | 16.08 |
| 17 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | SURYA TV | 15.83 |
| 18 | Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. | PIX | 15.77 |
| 19 | Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. | MAX 2 | 15.56 |
| 20 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | CHUTTI TV | 14.98 |
| 21 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | Movies OK | 14.95 |
| 22 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR Jalsha | 14.92 |
| 23 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | Life OK | 14.89 |
| 24 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR Pravah | 14.88 |
| 25 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR PluS | 14.83 |
| 26 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR Movies | 14.69 |
| 27 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | UDAYA TV | 14.64 |
| 28 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | Channel [V] | 14.62 |
| 29 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | UDAYA COMEDY | 14.60 |
| 30 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | SURYA MUSICS | 14.54 |
| 31 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR World | 14.52 |
| 32 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | ADITHYA | 14.46 |
| 33 | ASIANET COMMUNICATIONS LTD | Asianet Plus | 14.35 |
| 34 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | GEMINI MUSICS | 14.29 |
| 35 | Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. | MAX TV | 14.27 |
| 36 | VIJAY TELEVISION PVT LIMITED | Vijay TV | 14.18 |
| 37 | ASIANET COMMUNICATIONS LTD | Suvarna | 14.10 |
| 38 | ASIANET COMMUNICATIONS LTD | Asianet | 14.10 |
| 39 | 9X Media Pvt. Ltd. | 9X Jhakaas | 13.99 |
| 40 | 9X Media Pvt. Ltd. | 9X Jalwa | 13.98 |
| 41 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Marathi | 13.94 |
| 42 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | Fox Fx | 13.92 |
| 43 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee TV | 13.91 |
| 44 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Bangla | 13.91 |
| Name of the Broadcaster | Name of Pay Channel (Non News) | Average duration per hour of Advertisements during peak hours (in minutes) |
| 45 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Talkies | 13.88 |
| 46 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Cinema | 13.87 |
| 47 | Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. | AXN | 13.86 |
| 48 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | & Pictures | 13.83 |
| 49 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | & Pictures HD | 13.83 |
| 50 | NGC Network (India) Private Limited | National Geographic Channel | 13.82 |
| 51 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | GEMINI COMEDY | 13.80 |
| 52 | Genx Entertainment Ltd | Bindass | 13.79 |
| 53 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Action Cinema | 13.76 |
| 54 | Silverstar Communications LTd | MEGA MUSIQ | 13.76 |
| 55 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Classic Cinema | 13.75 |
| 56 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Café | 13.74 |
| 57 | NGC Network (India) Private Limited | Fox Life | 13.73 |
| 58 | NGC Network (India) Private Limited | Fox Life HD | 13.73 |
| 59 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Bangla Cinema | 13.68 |
| 60 | Discovery Communications India | Discovery Channel Tamil | 13.68 |
| 61 | Discovery Communications India | Discovery Channel | 13.68 |
| 62 | Discovery Communications India | Animal Planet | 13.67 |
| 63 | Viacom18 Media Private Limited | COMEDY CENTRAL | 13.66 |
| 64 | Paul Entertainments Private Limited | 9X Tashan | 13.63 |
| 65 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR World Hd | 13.62 |
| 66 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | & TV | 13.56 |
| 67 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | & TV HD | 13.56 |
| 68 | ASIANET COMMUNICATIONS LTD | Suvarna Plus | 13.56 |
| 69 | Discovery Communications India | TLC | 13.56 |
| 70 | Bangla Entertainment Private Ltd | SONY AATH | 13.55 |
| 71 | Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. | Cartoon Network | 13.55 |
| 72 | Viacom18 Media Private Limited | MTV | 13.52 |
| 73 | Discovery Communications India | Discovery Science | 13.50 |
| 74 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR Plus HD | 13.45 |
| 75 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR Movies HD | 13.44 |
| 76 | Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. | POGO | 13.38 |
| 77 | 9X Media Pvt. Ltd. | 9X M | 13.34 |
| 78 | Viacom18 Media Private Limited | SONIC | 13.31 |
| 79 | Viacom18 Media Private Limited | NICK | 13.21 |
| 80 | Discovery Communications India | Discovery Turbo | 13.16 |
| 81 | UTV Entertainment Television Ltd | Bindaas Play | 13.11 |
| 82 | STAR India Pvt Ltd | STAR Gold | 13.05 |
| 83 | Raj Television Network Ltd. | Raj TV | 13.03 |
| 84 | Sahara India TV Network | Sahara One | 13.00 |
| 85 | MAA TELEVISION NETWORK LIMITED | MAATV | 12.97 |
| 86 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zee Studio | 12.96 |
| 87 | MAA TELEVISION NETWORK LIMITED | MAA MOVIES | 12.95 |
| 88 | Epic Television Networks Pvt Ltd | Epic TV | 12.94 |
| 89 | ASIANET COMMUNICATIONS LTD | Asianet Movies | 12.92 |
| Name of the Broadcaster | Name of Pay Channel (Non News) | Average duration per hour of Advertisements during peak hours (in minutes) |
| 90 | Genx Entertainment Ltd | UTV Action | 12.91 |
| 91 | Discovery Communications India | Discovery Kids | 12.90 |
| 92 | The Walt Disney Company (India) P Ltd. | Disney | 12.87 |
| 93 | Viacom18 Media Private Limited | COLORS | 12.86 |
| 94 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | CHINTU TV | 12.83 |
| 95 | United Home Entertainment Pvt Ltd | Hungama | 12.81 |
| 96 | UTV Entertainment Television Ltd | UTV Movies | 12.80 |
| 97 | MAA TELEVISION NETWORK LIMITED | MAA GOLD | 12.66 |
| 98 | Reliance Big Broadcasting Private Limited | BIG MAGIC Ganga | 12.42 |
| 99 | NDTV Lifestyle Limited | NDTV Good Times | 12.37 |
| 100 | SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED | KOCHU TV | 12.31 |
| 101 | Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd | Zing | 12.13 |
| 102 | Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd. | PAL | 12.12 |
| 103 | ODISHA TELEVISION LTD. | TARANG | 12.12 |
| 104 | MAA TELEVISION NETWORK LIMITED | MAA MUSIC | 12.07 |
| 105 | MAVIS SATCOM LIMITED | JAYA MAX | 12.04 |
The above figures show that Advertisements comprise between 20% to 35% of the total duration of a TV show aired during prime time on free to and Pay channels. Are you as a TV viewer satisfied by the duration of Advertisements shown during your favourite TV show during prime time? Let us know your views and opinions through your comments below.
