NEW DELHI: Hungama TV, the proposed kids' channel from the UTV stable, which would be distributed by Star, will be priced at Rs. 6 per subscriber per month.

Whether this would immediately result in an increase of the Star bouquet price is not known but he broadcast and cable regulator feels that a directive on freeze of cable prices, effective 26 December, 2003, does not apply to new channels being launched.

Seeking co-operation, in a letter to the cable industry, especially multi-system operators (MSOs), United Home Entertainment vice-president Kevin Periera has said that Hungama would be India's first homegrown kids' entertainment channel in Hindi.

Hungama will offer multi-genre content for kids in the age group between 4 and 14 years. The channel would be ready for launch this month. Hungama would beam off a C-band transponder from PAS 10 satellite, which houses some of the hot channels like BBC, Sony, SET Max, among others, with the downlink frequency being 4074.5 MHz. The downlink polarisation would be vertical.

With a spate of new channel launches lined up this year and early next year in India, including some from the Disney and Discovery stables, it was being speculated whether a Telecom Regulatory Authority of India-mandated freeze on cable prices would be a hindrance.

Speaking to indiantelevision.com, an official from Trai clarified that the price-freeze would does not affect the new channels being planned. "The freeze, till Trai comes up with recommendations on the related issues, is on prices that were prevalent as on December 26, 2003. How can the freeze be effective on pricing of new products," the official quized back. He further added that the confusion would likely to be cleared when Trai would submit its report to the I&B ministry.