Television screens to go blank on Thursday from 6 AM to 10 PM

Bengaluru: Television screens in Bengaluru and other parts of the state are likely to go blank on Thursday, January 24 from 6 AM to 10 PM as the Cable TV operators in Bengaluru and other parts of the state have decided to switch off the service in protest against the new cable policy of the union government.

Speaking to media persons VS Patrick Raju, president of the cable association, said that the new tariff fixed by the TRAI does not benefit customers or cable operators, these rules are made in favour of the big players in the market.  

The TRAI had made the changes without considering cable operators. The operators provide 450 channels for Rs 300. With the new rules that will come into effect, the customer will have to pay Rs 1,500 for the same number of channels as the channel rate ranges from Rs 1 to 19, he added.

The association would demand a different tariff structure which includes GST rate cut, before the new one comes into force, informed Raju.