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‘Advance digitisation deadline in border areas’

Published

13 years ago

September 18, 2012

NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary committee has ‘strongly‘ emphasised to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry that the digitisation deadline in the border areas should be advanced by taking proactive initiatives by the Government to check illegal television channels.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology to which the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Second Amendment Bill has been referred to, has pointed out that the ministry too has asserted that digitisation can provide a mechanism to regulate/monitor the problem of illegal channels being carried by cable operators.

It noted that the Ministry had stated that cable operators in the border areas can take the feed of the terrestrial channels of neighbouring countries which are not allowed to be shown in India. It is also possible that cable operator can pick illegal channels via broadband/internet or IPTV, mobile TV, video streaming and re-transmitting them.

The committee said from the information furnished by the Ministry, the initial order for constitution of State and District Level Monitoring Committees was issued on 6 September 2005 and detailed guidelines were issued on 19 February 2008. But it was ‘constrained‘ to note that only 15 States and 266 Districts have so far been able to set up these committees.
With regard to the State-wise position of status of these Committees, the Committee noted that in North Eastern States, Arunachal Pradesh is the only State which has set up the State Level Committee.

The Committee was also “constrained to note that the Ministry does not maintain centralized data about the functioning of these Committees”. The Committee felt that various issues confronting implementation of the provisions made in the Cable Act can be addressed by ensuring effective functioning of State and District Level Monitoring Committees. The Ministry should persuade the State Governments particularly the bordering States to set up these Committees expeditiously. Besides, the position of setting up of these Committees as well as their functioning should be constantly monitored by the Ministry.

The Bill introduced in Parliament in December last year seeks to insert a new clause via Section 5A in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 that prohibits cable operators from carrying unregistered satellite or terrestrial channels on their cable service networks irrespective of manner of reception of these channels.

The Bill also proposes to amend sub-section(1) of section 11 to empower the Authorized Officers to seize the equipments of the Cable operators if it is found that cable operators indulge in re-transmission of illegal channels, that is, violation of section 5A. Financial penalties provided under section 16 (1) of the Cable Act for violation of the provisions of the Act are proposed to be enhanced from Rs 1000 to Rs 100,000 for the first offence and Rs 5000 to Rs 300,000 on each subsequent offence.

The amending legislation further provides that in case of violation of section 5A, fine imposed for the first offence shall not be less than Rs 50,000 and for every subsequent offence it shall not be less than
Rs 100,000. The Bill also proposes to amend section 16(2) to make contravention of section 5A a cognisable offence.

With the enactment of the proposed amendments, a cable operator would be allowed to carry only those channels which are indicated at Clause (a)(b)(c) of sub-Section (1) of section 5A as elaborated below:-
“5A. (1) No cable operator shall carry or include in his cable service any satellite or terrestrial television broadcast or channel unless such broadcast or channel has been:

(a) registered with, or permitted by, the Central Government for being viewed within the territory of India, in accordance with the policy guidelines for downlinking of television channels as may be specified by the Central Government from time to time; or

(b) approved by the Central Government for being viewed within the territory of India; or

(c) allowed in accordance with the provisions of any Central Act or rules made thereunder for being viewed within the territory of India.

Applications

Moltbook, the AI-only social network, sparks hype, doubt and fear

Published

2 weeks ago

February 3, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CALIFORNIA: Moltbook, a Reddit-style social platform built exclusively for artificial intelligence agents, has emerged as the latest obsession in Silicon Valley, drawing intense attention for its explosive growth and surreal bot-driven interactions.

The platform hosts more than 100 communities where AI agents post, argue and joke about topics ranging from governance theory to esoteric “crayfish debugging” concepts. Within days of launch, Moltbook recorded tens of thousands of posts, nearly 200,000 comments and more than 1 million human visitors observing the activity.

Yet the numbers and the autonomy are under scrutiny, as per media reports. A security researcher has suggested as many as 500,000 accounts may trace back to a single address, raising doubts about Moltbook’s membership claims. Many posts could also be the result of humans instructing their AI tools to publish content, rather than bots acting independently.

The platform runs on agentic AI, powered by an open-source tool called OpenClaw, formerly known as Moltbot. Unlike chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini, these agents are designed to perform tasks on users’ devices, from sending messages to managing calendars, with minimal human input. Once authorised, they can interact freely on Moltbook.

Some tech figures have hailed the platform as a glimpse of a post-human internet. Head of crypto custody firm BitGo Bill Lees, called it evidence that “we’re in the singularity”.

Academics are less convinced. Petar Radanliev, an AI and cybersecurity expert at the University of Oxford, said the idea of agents acting independently was “misleading”, describing Moltbook instead as automated coordination within human-set constraints. Columbia Business School assistant professor David Holtz, dismissed the spectacle as “thousands of bots yelling into the void and repeating themselves”.

Beyond hype, security worries loom large. ESET global cybersecurity advisor Jake Moore, warned that granting AI agents access to emails, private messages and files risks prioritising efficiency over privacy. Andrew Rogoyski of the University of Surrey said high-level system access could lead to serious damage, from erased data to compromised company accounts.

Even OpenClaw’s founder Peter Steinberger, has felt the darker side of attention, with scammers hijacking his old social media handles after the platform’s rebrand.

For now, Moltbook remains a strange digital zoo: part experiment, part spectacle, where AI agents banter about philosophy, productivity and, occasionally, their fondness for their human operators.

Applications

Apple appoints Avtar Ram Singh as head of international marketing

Published

2 weeks ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

CALIFORNIA: Apple has handed a bigger global brief to a long-time insider. Avtar Ram Singh has taken over as head of international marketing for the App Store, Apple Arcade and the Apple Games app, deepening his remit across one of the company’s fastest-growing businesses.

“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as head of international marketing, App Store, Apple Arcade and Games App at Apple,” Singh said while announcing the move.

The promotion crowns nearly seven years at Apple, where Singh has led services marketing across Southeast Asia and India and previously served as head of marketing for Southeast Asia content and services, business lead for Apple Podcasts in the region and interim marketing lead for the App Store internationally.

His new portfolio spans three pillars of Apple’s services push. The App Store, which Apple positions as a safe and trusted discovery platform, now attracts more than 850 million average weekly users globally. Since 2008, developers have earned over $550 billion on the platform.

Apple Arcade, the company’s gaming subscription service, offers unlimited access to a catalogue ranging from brain teasers to big-name franchises. The recent addition of Sid Meier’s Civilization VII Arcade Edition brings a AAA PC title to iPhone, iPad and Mac from 5 February.

Then there is the Apple Games app, unveiled at WWDC as a unified destination for games from the App Store and Arcade. It aggregates titles in one place, surfaces personalised recommendations, tracks events and achievements, and lets users compete with friends or connect controllers for a console-like experience.

Singh arrives with a hybrid background in strategy, data and creativity. His career spans digital and social media marketing, business intelligence, content, editorial and analytics across culturally diverse markets. He has worked on brands including P&G, Accor, Audi, UBS, Nikon, Samsung, Sony, Pizza Hut, HBO and Singapore Airlines-linked businesses such as Scoot.

Before Apple, Singh led strategy at Falcon Agency, focusing on performance marketing and ROI-driven digital frameworks. He earlier ran the social practice at Publicis Singapore, where he oversaw operations, business development and regional social strategy for multinational clients. His career also includes roles at Ogilvy-linked Circus Social, Rocket Internet ventures Lazada and Zalora, and research firm IDC in Bangkok, where he analysed technology markets and won early awards for collaboration and client retention.

At Apple, he has been close to several service launches and expansions, including Apple Fitness+ in Singapore, Apple Creator Studio, global podcast subscriptions and new App Store marketing tools.

The timing is notable. Apple’s services business has posted record years, and gaming is becoming a sharper battleground as platforms chase engagement and recurring revenue. Singh’s brief sits at the intersection of content, community and commerce.

In a market where attention is scarce and loyalty scarcer, Apple is betting that sharper storytelling and smarter marketing can keep users inside its ecosystem. Singh now holds the megaphone. The real test will be how loudly the world listens.

Applications

Cloud nine in the capital Bharathcloud plugs Delhi into its AI plans

Published

3 weeks ago

January 30, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Bharathcloud is bringing its cloud closer to power. The Hyderabad-based sovereign AI cloud services provider has opened its Delhi office, marking its formal entry into North India and setting the stage for its next phase of growth.

The expansion comes as India’s digital transformation fuels rising demand for AI-ready cloud infrastructure, driven by wider adoption of artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things and data-heavy applications. With the new office, Bharathcloud plans to onboard more than 100 employees in 2026, strengthening its workforce to support customers across government, enterprises, MSMEs and social sectors.

The Delhi presence is expected to sharpen the company’s engagement with organisations seeking secure, scalable and cost-efficient cloud platforms that comply with India’s data sovereignty requirements. It also positions Bharathcloud closer to policy, public sector and enterprise decision-makers in the region.

Founded in Hyderabad, Bharathcloud offers AI-ready cloud infrastructure including Kubernetes-as-a-Service, zero-trust security architecture and multi-level data protection frameworks. Its platform supports AI and ML workloads, blockchain application migration from hyperscalers and distributed data management, with an emphasis on reliability, low latency and operational continuity.

“With the Delhi expansion, we are positioning Bharathcloud to engage more closely with AI-driven enterprises and technology hubs in North India,” said Bharathcloud co-founder Rahul Takallapally. He added that the move would help nurture local cloud and AI talent while accelerating the adoption of secure and resilient AI infrastructure across sectors.

The company currently operates in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Chennai, employing over 200 people and serving more than 1,500 clients across manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, IT and media. Aligned with national initiatives such as Digital India and Make in India, Bharathcloud continues to focus on building indigenous AI-cloud infrastructure to support data localisation and the country’s growing appetite for next-generation digital solutions.

With its Delhi office now live, the company is signalling a clear intent: to make sovereign, AI-ready cloud infrastructure not just an alternative, but a mainstream choice for India’s north as well as its tech capitals.