TRAI, which brought out draft recommendations on the matter in end-October, strictly refused any kind of exclusivity of content, saying it would not be healthy for the development of the industry and, more importantly, will hurt the consumers interests.

In the regulation, titled 'The Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection Regulation 2004', TRAI said, "No broadcaster of TV channels shall engage in any practice or activity or enter into any understanding or arrangement, including exclusive contracts with any distributor of TV channels that prevents any other distributor of TV channels from obtaining such TV channels for distribution."

Further, it said every broadcaster shall provide on request signals of its TV channels on non-discriminatory terms to all distributors of TV channels, which may include, but be not limited to a cable operator, direct to home operator, multi-system operator, head ends in the sky operator.

However, it said that this provision would not apply in case a distributor defaults in payment.