Controversy

Cable Access System: Power to the Viewers

Kaushik Phukan

What will happen if the Cable TV Networks (Regulations) Amendment Bill 2002 is passed? It will enable the introduction of the Conditional Access System (CAS), which gives power to the consumer to decide what he wants to see and to pay for the channel seen. That’s what the CAS or the conditional access system does. It makes the consumer the king. He has a choice and is no longer at the mercy of the cable operators or the channels.

The opposition to the bill by the protagonists, who do not want to give power to the consumers, has led the government to withdraw the bill, already cleared by the Lok Sabha from the Rajya Sabha’s schedule of business. But the cable operators who have threatened to go on strike might force a U-turn again.

The cable operators have some politicians lobbying for the bill, while the broadcasters have other sets of politicians to oppose it. Neither protagonist appears to be bothered about the nearly 40 million households that are the consumers.

At present, the viewers pay a monthly charge to the cable service operators for all the channels (including various pay channels) beamed, irrespective of whether the consumer views the channels or not. The pay channels charge the cable operators on a “per subscriber” basis.

This is one of the reasons why the cable operators understate their subscriber base. Ostensibly, or so the broadcasters say, the understatement of the number of subscribers forces the pay channels to increase the monthly subscription charges. A vicious circle ensues, as this in turn prompts the cable operators to increase their subscription charges from the viewer. Consequently, in the war between the two, the viewer is the scapegoat and is at the receiving end.

The changes

CAS will change this vicious cycle. CAS uses a set top box as a decoder, which enables the consumer to select and pay for only those pay channels that the consumer views. Consumers will also continue to receive the free to air channels at a fixed flat rate.

CAS generates a high degree of transparency in the broadcaster-operator-subscriber relationship. Viewers will have control over the visual content, a lower monthly subscription and the assurances that there will not be an arbitrary increase in the subscription charges, or an abrupt blackout of channels by broadcasters, or the cable service providers.

Although, the cost of the set top box is a contentious issue for the consumer, in totality the viewers find the CAS more just. Arindam Ghosh, software developer, Akansha Software says “The CAS is a boon for the viewer. Now we can choose the content we need and black out others. What is the need for so many channels that we get at present? We see only a few, and it does not make sense for us to pay for those that we never see. Now the cable operator nor the broadcaster cannot hold us at their mercy or force us to see whatever they want us to. We now have a choice.”

The CAS has already caught the imagination of the users. This is reflected in Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Chandra Babu Naidu requesting that his capital city be included in the first phase of CAS implementation. Other states are also expected to follow suit. The Consumer Action Network has declared its strong support for implementing the CAS.