An Analysis of Competition and Regulatory Intervention in India’s Television Distribution and Broadcasting Services

Abstract

The television (TV) industry in India is undergoing a digital transformation, as are most other Information Technology (IT) sectors in the economy. While cable television is likely to dominate the market over the next few years, satellite television and online video are the current growth drivers. There has been significant growth of subscribers, industry revenue and availability of services. Much of this growth has been driven by digitization of cable, higher uptake of High Definition (HD) channels and the increase in smart device penetration resulting in increased consumption through alternate platforms. With 197 million TV1 households, India is the second largest television market in the world, next only to China. According to the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), China has over 378 million TV households with a multichannel penetration3 of 48 per cent. On the other hand, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) account for 36 per cent and 41 per cent TV households respectively. The industry has made significant direct and indirect contributions to the economy. According to a Deloitte report titled “Economic Contribution of the Film and Television Industry in India”, the gross value addition by the TV industry in 2017 was INR 65,377 crore. The industry employed 16.44 lakh people in that year. Table1.1 below provides a snapshot of the economic impact of the television industry in India.