JioStar bets big on Nick, ties Kids push to incentive-linked bouquet targets for DPOs

New Delhi: In its new reference interconnect offer (RIO) released on Thursday, JioStar appears to have shifted focus to the Kids genre, with Nick placed at the centre of a plan that nudges distribution platform operators (DPOs) towards selling more Kids bouquets.

First, the a-la-carte pricing. Nick’s monthly MRP has been raised from Rs 7 in 2025 to Rs 19 in 2026, a jump of around 171 per cent. Nick HD+ has been raised from Rs 10 to Rs 19, up 90 per cent.

On the other hand, JioStar continues to offer incentives of up to 15 per cent on subscribed bouquets and a-la-carte channels. But for Kids-linked incentives, eligibility is tied to achieving an aggregated 30 per cent bouquet penetration for specified Kids bouquets on the active subscriber base, along with reporting and compliance requirements.

While higher a-la-carte pricing makes standalone buying less attractive, incentive-linked penetration targets make bouquet selling more attractive.

The obvious outcome is that more households get Nick through bundles rather than by selecting it individually.

Nick, the natural lever?

Kids viewing is among the most habitual categories in Indian television homes. Families with children tend to keep Kids content “always on”, and the channel becomes part of the daily routine.

For DPOs, Kids is also easier to position as a household need than as discretionary entertainment. In that sense, Nick is not just another channel. It is a category anchor that can help pull upgrades.

By using Nick pricing to raise the cost of a-la-carte, and incentives to reward bouquet penetration, JioStar is attempting to push Kids deeper into standard packs.

Safe bet?

Bouquet-led distribution is easier to forecast than a-la-carte demand, which can fluctuate and is often influenced by short-term promotions.

When it comes to negotiating leverage, it is harder for platforms to treat a channel as optional inventory if it becomes embedded in widely sold bouquets. That improves carriage stability and reduces the risk of cherry-picking.

As far as commercial positioning is concerned, a stronger bouquet footprint can improve reach consistency. That helps advertising planning for a Kids network that depends on steady sampling rather than event-led spikes.

At the same time, a steep a-la-carte hike can be read as forced bundling, and that can harden negotiations with DPOs.

DPOs may respond by slowing pack restructuring, limiting marketing support, or resisting penetration drives, especially if the sales effort falls disproportionately on them.

If DPOs conclude that 30 per cent Kids bouquet penetration is unrealistic for their base, the incentive loses force. In that case, the exercise becomes more about paperwork than performance.

Having said that, the benefit is clear for DPOs. If a platform can build Kids bouquets into its mainstream sales funnel, it can improve its incentive payout and strengthen retention in family homes.

Kids packs can also serve as a clean upsell tool, especially when bundled with entertainment and regional clusters.

Hitting a 30 per cent penetration mark usually requires discounting, bundling, and sustained promotion. That can lift subscriptions, but it can also compress ARPU if upgrades are driven by offers rather than willingness to pay.

Operationally, the incentive structure also places weight on reporting and compliance.

Platforms with fragmented systems, multiple headends, or frequent pack-level edits may find the payout less predictable if data reconciliation becomes a bottleneck.