The Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) has requested the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to re-regulate the broadcasting sector, which is battling dwindling paid subscriber count and competition from DD Free Dish and OTT platforms, according to a news report.

Top broadcasters, including Disney Star, Sony Pictures Networks India, Zee Entertainment and Viacom18 have pushed to end monetary restrictions that include price caps, ceilings, discount caps and limitations on bouquets for both broadcasters and distribution platforms.

In its submission to TRAI, IBDF reportedly urged that service providers should be allowed to set prices for their TV channels and distribution services. They should be able to negotiate the terms and conditions of their interconnection based on market forces, said the report.

As per TRAI's New Tariff Order (NTO) introduced in 2017, broadcasters are required to offer channels at the same price to all distribution platforms. Before that, broadcasters and distributors used to negotiate the content deals themselves and set the price.

TRAI has been approached also by the All India Digital Cable Federation, which comprises cable TV distribution companies like Hathway Digital and DEN Networks, urging the regulator to go back to the pre-NTO regime when broadcasters declared the wholesale rates of TV channels while distribution platforms determined the retail pricing.