Dish TV planning a JV with 2 DTH operators

[SVK]

After we had thread of 3 mobile operators planning to merge, here is another sensational thread about 3 Indian DTH operators supposedly planning for merger (or merging operational activity). 3 companies in news regarding this are Dish TV, Videocon d2h and Airtel Digital TV.
Not sure how much about this news is really true, but such consolidation was bound to happen considering large number of operators India have, and how difficult it is for them to keep running their expense and get some profits.
(I remember few years ago, Jet Airways and Kingfisher also had formed JV for operational activity to manage ground staff activity at airports, DTH companies may also have similar plans).
Unconfirmed Source: http://advanced-television.com/2013/11/06/india-dth-consolidation-plans/

 

[Navjot Singh]

Its true. Not a merger but a cartel.
Dish TV In Talks With 2 DTH Operators To Form JV For Carriage Fees

India’s largest DTH operator DishTV is in talks with two other DTH operators to form a joint venture which will work on content and carriage agreements with broadcasters, DishTV CEO R C Venkateish has told TelevisionPost. Venkateish said all the three partners will own equal stake in the joint venture, although he declined to disclose the name of the partners with whom they are currently in talks. Citing a source close to the development, the publication says Dish TV is currently in talks with Videocon d2h and Airtel Digital TV, although the CEO’s of both companies haven’t commented on this to DTH. Venkateish claimed they currently receive a “meager carriage revenue” and pay more to the broadcasters as content costs, despite a significant subscriber base. As of now, broadcasters have to pay a specific carriage fee to DTH operators to distribute its channels on the respective DTH platforms. However in a bid to reduce this carriage fee, several channels formed distribution joint ventures to negotiate content and carriage fee agreements with DTH operators.