Aaj Tak, GNT turn free-to-air; India Today, Aaj Tak HD remain Pay TV

New Delhi: TV Today has made Aaj Tak and Good News Today (GNT) free-to-air (FTA), the Reference Interconnection Offer (RIO) released by the network revealed. 

The new RIO will come into effect from February 1, 2025.

The network has priced Aaj Tak HD and India Today at an MRP of Rs 2.50 and Rs 1.80 per subscriber per month, respectively, on an a-la-carte basis. However, the other two channels, Aaj Tak and GNT, have been excluded from the new RIO as they go FTA.

This decision follows the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) rejecting broadcasters’ stay requests against the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) new tariff order. As per the TDSAT ruling, broadcasters were required to update their RIOs within a fortnight to comply with the new tariff regulations.

Under the regulations, channels must either remain free across all platforms, including DD Freedish, or be withdrawn from the platform to maintain their pay-channel status. 

Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) have long argued that broadcasters’ practice of charging for channels available for free on DD Freedish is unfair.

Complying with the tribunal’s timeline, broadcasters, including Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) and JioStar, have recently updated their RIOs.

TV Today has also transitioned to an in-house distribution process, ending its six-year association with Star India. This move follows the merger of Viacom18 and Disney Star to form JioStar.

Prior to Star India, TV Today channels were distributed by MSM Discovery, a distribution arm of Sony Pictures Networks India.

Earlier, the first RIO released by JioStar revealed that Network18 also converted News18 India into a free-to-air channel.