SUBSCRIPTION CHANNELS QUESTIONED
Indian monopolies watchdog, The Monopolies
& Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC), has issued
notices of inquiry to pay TV channels, following a complaint
by the Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of
India (FHRAI). The FHRAI has alleged that TV channels such
as ESPN, Star Sports, Zee Cinema and Star Movies are levying
higher subscription fees to hotels than they are to cable
operators. For instance, hotels pay $1 per hotel room per
month to ESPN, while cable operators pay Rs 7 per individual
subscriber per month. The FHRAI is trying to make a case
of that the channels are resorting to a restrictive trade
practice against its members.
