Leading DTH player Tata Play has decided to remove all TV channels of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) from the subscription plans of about 10 million users. On Thursday, it began with the removal of SPNI’s channels from plans of nearly one million subscribers and said it will continue to undertake this process over the next 10 days. SPNI said the DTH service providers’ move comes as a surprise and is “arbitrary”.
When contacted, in a statement, Harit Nagpal, MD and CEO, Tata Play, said the company was streamlining channel packs of subscribers by removing “less-watched” channels to “reduce charges”.
“We, at Tata Play, have always prioritised customers while designing our processes. Our analysis, supported by BARC data, reveals that most subscribers have four or more times the number of channels than they actively watch. Due to lack of return path data, it is not possible to track who’s watching and who’s not. Consequently, we are streamlining channel packs by removing less-watched channels and adjusting monthly charges accordingly,” Nagpal said.
He added that subscribers who wish to watch these channels can easily reinstate any of these removed channels by giving a missed call. ”We anticipate that at least 75 per cent of customers whose packs have been modified will benefit from the reduced charges,” Nagpal said.
Sony’s response
The broadcaster said Tata Play’s decision was “surprising” and “arbitrary”. “SPNI has recently become aware of Tata Play’s surprising decision to remove Sony channels from the bouquets of nearly 10 million subscribers. This arbitrary decision seems to have been made without any notice to SPNI or apparent consideration for their subscribers’ preferences. We believe it is a retaliation to exercising our audit rights on Tata Play’s subscriber management system, in which we have observed and communicated certain glaring discrepancies to Tata Play over the past few years,” it stated.
“The narrative built by Tata Play of “loss of viewership” is clearly misleading. We are confident that our loyal viewers, who value diverse and high-quality content, will continue to find our channels through other platforms nationwide. Our commitment to delivering top-notch entertainment remains steadfast, ensuring our audience never misses out on their favourite shows and channels, regardless of Tata Play’s whims,” SPNI’s statement added.