How Is Jio TV Streaming Cricket On Its OTT Platform Without Permission? Cable Operators Write To TRAI

The All Local Cable Operator Association Delhi (ALCOA India) has raised objections to Jio TV broadcasting India-Sri Lanka ODI and T20 matches on its OTT platform without the necessary permissions. The association has labeled this action as illegal and has called on the government to take corrective measures. In a letter addressed to the Chairman of TRAI, ALCOA India’s President, Narendra Bagdi, has sought resolution for these grievances.

In the letter, the association stated, "We All Local Cable Operator Association Delhi (ALCOA INDIA) are representative body of Local Cable Operators (LCOs / LMOs). This is to bring to your kind attention that how JIO TV is providing Linear & Live content (which is regularised by TRAI) on its OTT Platform and due to this the Cable TV Industry of INDIA is suffering very huge losses in terms of business and jobs."

The letter further detailed that according to data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council, the number of television households in India increased from 197 million in 2018 to 210 million in 2020. However, those using cable television services dropped from 120 million to 90 million during the same period, and this number continues to decline.

Questioning the broadcasters, the association asked, "How are they providing linear content on OTT platform. We have raised this issue with TRAI & MIB many times earlier also but there straight reply is that OTT is not regularised. But we are not much educated and aware of the cable act as they (TRAI & MIB) are. Now we can suggest a solution which they could have done much earlier. The solution is that, all the content on Linear TV is running after getting UP linking & Down linking permissions from MIB under cable act 1995. All this process is regulated by TRAI and approved by MIB. Now they can simply pass an order/regulation in which they can warn all the broadcasters {who are providing Linear content} to stop providing Linear Content (Which is regulated under Cable Act 1995) to OTT platforms."

The association emphasized, that according to the uplinking and downlinking permissions granted by the Indian government, broadcasters are authorized to provide linear content only to MSOs, HITS, DTH players, and IPTV through their IRD channels. Providing linear content to OTT platforms is illegal.

Expressing frustration over the lack of action, the association questioned, "Why is TRAI not taking action against this illegal practice that is destroying the Indian cable TV industry? For the India vs Sri Lanka series, cable TV operators pay ?19 + GST for Ten Sports' live content, while Jio TV offers it for free, leading to unfair competition that could devastate the industry."

The letter also addressed the unauthorized provision of linear live content for the India vs Sri Lanka series, asking if it was being done through IRD or another route. The association hopes TRAI officials can obtain this information from the broadcaster and provide a response.

The letter highlighted that Star India Pvt. Ltd. streams linear content on its OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar, as well as on channels like Star Plus and Star Sports. Similarly, Indiacast provides linear content on Colors TV and MTV while also streaming it on Jio TV, which is not legal.

Warning about the dangers of unregulated content, the association wrote, "The unregulated content have the negative social impact on society as all type of content are flowing freely through these OTT platforms without any check. Further the presence of all the major channels without any extra cost is luring the subscribers of cable TV specially house wives, students and young generations who are moving to the OTT platforms considering it as reasonable/better option than continuing with cable television. It may be noted that the major/big OTT platforms are in house products of the Broadcasters where the content of the linear channels are being shown even before the content being telecasted on the linear TV."

The association also noted that many broadcasters have their own OTT platforms, where they show linear content even before it airs on linear TV. They referenced a previous complaint from April 13, 2023, about the illegal streaming of Tata IPL on Jio Cinema, which received no response from TRAI, MIB, or CCI.