NEW DELHI: The Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms is restructuring its rent-a-set-top box scheme with a view to pass on the benefits that is likely to accrue to importers of STBs after the government today announced a massive reduction in customs duty.
"We are studying the duty reductions announced and would come out with a reworked schemes," Zee Telefilms additional vice-chairman Jawahar Goel told indiantelevision.com today.
As per an Indian government mandate, all pay channels would have to go through a set top box after 14 July when conditional access system is implemented in four metros, while the consumer will have the choice to pay for the channel he wishes to watch. Additionally, in the basic tier of free to air channels, priced at Rs 72 (exclusive of local taxes), a minimum of 30 channels will have to be shown and available to the consumer, while the cable operator, if he wishes and has the technical competence, can also show up to 70 channels.
According to Goel, the revised schemes would include reducing the refundable security money from Rs 3,990 to about Rs 2,600 with the daily rent of the box being brought down to about paise 60 from the announced Re 1.
The second scheme is likely to be modified with the refundable security of Rs 2,990 being brought down to about Rs 2,000 with the daily rent for the box being priced at about Re 1.
"If the government is extending the industry some relaxation in way of customs duty cut, then the benefits should be passed on to the customer too," Goel said, sounding confident that this move is likely to silence the critics of CAS.

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