JioStar sets 2026 pricing tone, all eyes now on Sony and Zee

The television distribution industry is closely examining the 2026 reference interconnect offer (RIO) released by JioStar, which reflects noticeable changes compared with its 2025 pricing. With Sony Pictures Networks India (Culver Max) and Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) also expected to announce their revised rates in the coming days, distribution platform operators (DPOs) are assessing the overall impact before firming up their stance.

JioStar’s revised RIO comprises 83 bouquets, 81 SD channels, 43 HD channels and six free-to-air (FTA) channels. Among the 81 standard-definition channels, key offerings such as Star Plus, Colors, Star Pravah, Star Gold and Star Movies are priced at ₹19 on an a-la-carte basis. However, the upper end of the SD pricing band now stretches to ₹30 for regional channels such as Asianet, Colors Kannada, Vijay and Maa TV, indicating a sharper push in southern markets compared with last year.

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In the high-definition segment, Star Plus HD, Star Jalsha HD and Star Suvarna HD are priced at ₹25 each. Several other HD channels — including Colors HD, Star Bharat HD, Colors Bangla HD and Colors Marathi HD — remain at ₹19. At the premium end, regional HD feeds such as Colors Kannada HD, Asianet HD, Vijay HD and Maa HD are priced at ₹30. Compared with 2025, the structure suggests a calibrated realignment, retaining ₹19 as a strategic mass price point while pushing select regional and premium feeds higher.

In 2025, most of JioStar’s key Hindi standard-definition (SD) channels such as Star Plus, Colors, Star Pravah, Star Gold and Star Movies were priced at ₹19 on an a-la-carte basis. Among regional SD channels, Asianet, Colors Kannada, Vijay and Maa TV were priced at ₹25 each before being revised upward in 2026.

In the high-definition (HD) segment in 2025, Star Plus HD, Star Jalsha HD and Star Suvarna HD were available at ₹19 each. Similarly, Colors HD, Star Bharat HD, Colors Bangla HD and Colors Marathi HD were also priced at ₹19. Premium regional HD feeds such as Colors Kannada HD, Asianet HD, Vijay HD and Maa HD were priced at ₹25 in 2025.

Bouquet pricing has also been revised upward. The Star Value Pack (SVP) Hindi and SVP Hindi Basic have increased from ₹110 to ₹120, while SPP Marathi Lite Hindi has moved up from ₹240 to ₹250. The increases, though measured at the bouquet level, add to the overall cost stack for distributors.

According to an industry expert, DPOs are studying the new prices and will share their suggestions soon.

"While the headline numbers may appear incremental, the cumulative impact of these revisions, especially in regional and HD feeds, is significant for distribution platforms. With ₹19 retained as a strategic mass price point and premium channels moving higher, broadcasters are clearly testing the elasticity of the market. The real pressure will be felt if multiple networks follow suit, as that could translate into a broader tariff reset for consumers in 2026," said an industry expert.

JioStar’s strong sports portfolio continues to underpin its pricing leverage. The broadcaster holds rights to marquee cricket properties including the Indian Premier League, as well as tournaments organised by the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Premium sports rights remain a key factor in carriage negotiations with distribution platforms.

The market is now awaiting comparable announcements from Sony and Zee. In its 2025 RIO, Sony Pictures Networks India had priced Sony MAX 2 and five of its sports channels at ₹19 each, and had launched another movie channel, Sony MAX 1, in April. Its Happy India Smart Hindi pack had increased from ₹48 to ₹54 last year. Similarly, Zee Entertainment Enterprises’ Zee All in One Pack Hindi SD rose from ₹47 to ₹53 in 2025, alongside the addition of English entertainment channel Zee Café to the bouquet.

With JioStar having set the tone for 2026, DPOs are evaluating the cumulative impact, particularly if Sony and Zee implement similar upward revisions.

The final outcome for consumers will depend on how much of the increase distributors absorb and how aggressively bouquet structures are reworked. The upcoming RIO announcements are likely to determine whether 2026 marks a broader tariff reset for the pay-TV industry.