Section 100 in Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Eighth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff Order, 2017
100. Majority of broadcasters are not in favour of regulating variant or cloned channels. They have opined that variant or cloned channels does not hamper subscriber interests as they have been introduced to cater different mass/class of population and to increase the reach of channels of broadcasters. They have further suggested that by regulating variant or cloned channels, TRAI would thereby be regulating content of channel which falls outside the purview of TRAI. On the other hand, some of the broadcasters are in favour of regulating variant or cloned channels with no separate charges for the channels having same content but multiple audio feed. One has suggested that the HD channels may however be exempted from the provisions of any such clause.
