ITV

Category: DTH

  • Involve MIB in transponder allocation to DTH, says House panel

    NEW DELHI: The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament has expressed that no meeting of the INSAT Coordination Committee (ICC) has taken place despite the fact that leasing of transponders to direct-to-home operators involved the information and broadcasting ministry as much as it concerned the Department of Space.

    In its action-taken report relating to its fortieth (2016) report on the subject, it has said that interactions, even if formal, between officials of DoS and MIB during the said period is entirely different from that of a decision  taken in the  meeting of ICC consisting of secretary-level  officers  of the concerned  Departments as stipulated   under SATCOM Policy.

    The Committee, while finding no merit in the DoS contention that it acted based on the  “delegated powers”  of ICC, said the Department cannot overrule the norms prescribed in SATCOM Policy.

    The Committee,  therefore, reiterated its earlier observation that DoS did not follow the prescribed procedure and exceeded  its sphere by taking unilateral decisions bypassing the mechanism on issues which were beyond its mandate and wanted to be apprised  whether any punitive action has been taken in this regard.

    At the same time, the Committee regretted that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had failed to give its action taken reply on the observation of the Committee last year, and reiterate its earlier recommendation that all the stakeholders be involved in the sound planning and judicious decision for allocation of transponder capacity, paving way for a more transparent approach which would help in re-building of trust and faith of DTH service providers in the DoS and the Ministry.

    The Committee while noting from the reply of the DoS that the ICC meetings are being regularly convened as and when required wanted to be apprised of the total number of meetings held after 2011 and the capacity earmarked by the ICC for allocation to non-governmental users.

    The Committee  observed  from  the  reply  of  the  DoS  that  MIB is a member of the ICC and fully aware of the formal mechanism  as part of the deliberation in the 67th meeting of the ICC that “all   applications for TV uplinking and space segment requirements  are being forwarded  to DoS for clearance before licenses are issued”.  The Committee was of the ‘considered view’ that forwarding of all applications for clearance is again different from allocating satellite capacity without earmarking for non-governmental users by the ICC.

    The Committee highlighted that since DTH was a broadcasting service, it came directly under the purview of MIB as it was responsible for all matters relating to broadcasting in the country. According to the SATCOM policy, all allocations were made by DoS with the approval of the ICC. Being a· member of the ICC, MIB was also involved in satellite capacity allocation. Since the ICC was not convened, MIB and other members were inadvertently left out of the decision making process. The Committee was “shocked to note the lackadaisical approach of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting as it remained a mute spectator while DoS was flouting norms by directly allocating satellite capacities and the MIB even did not bother to intervene for convening the ICC of which it was a member”.

    The Committee was of the view that it was high time that the different wings of the Government be proactive in their approach and keeping in view the national interest, coordinate properly for taking decisions which were crucial both commercially and strategically.

    The Committee recommended that the Ministry as well as DoS make sincere and concerted efforts to convene the ICC meetings regularly so that all the relevant stakeholders were involved in the sound planning for allocation of transponder capacity thereby paving way for a more transparent approach which could help in re­ building of trust and faith of DTH service providers in the DOS and the Ministry.

    Also Read:

    SES 15 launches successfully on 18 May

    MIB: No DPO request for infra sharing, DTH ops’ transponder demand up

  • With 350 astro experts & 500 hrs of programming, Dominiche SVoD launches on Airtel Digital TV

    MUMBAI: Airtel Digital TV, the DTH arm of India’s largest telecommunications provider, and Dominiche, India’s first MCN catering to the DTH & OTT ecosystem, has announced the launch of Astrovaani, a 24X7 ad-free, subscription-based video on demand (SVOD) astrology channel. This is the first time that Indian viewers will have access to on-demand, round the clock, cable content focused on astrology.

    The service is available to Airtel DTH users at an introductory price of Re 1 for first 15 days. After which subscribers can access the channel for a nominal Rs. 39 month. To activate the service, Airtel DTH subscribers can give a missed call to 9109121114.

    Astrovaani will showcase a variety of astrology techniques and practices including Tarot, Vastu, Feng Shui, Palmistry, Numerology, Healing, Face reading, Aura reading as well as Runes. Also, the programming will cover astrological accessories such as gems & precious stones, rudraksh, yantra, and lal kitaab, among other things. Predictions on Astrovaani will be made by prominent names in the field of astrology including the likes of Munisha Khatwani, Bejan Daruwala, Roop Lakhani, Neel Choksi, Swami Jaganath, Eeishaa Nisha, Ssanket Jayant Popat, Bhavesh Dave, Payal Agarwal, Pooja Shirasi, Amit Lamba, Shiv Prakash, Sharmila Mohanan, Smita Mehta, Hittesh Morjaria, Kashmira Elavia, Kirti Seth, Rasesh Shah, Smriti Panchal, Tamana C Bhatia, Biindu Khuraana, Dimple Luniya, Dr. Jyoti Jhangiani, Sarmistha, Neeta Singhal, Naqqiya Jarwalla, Dr. Prem Gupta, Sangeeta Jhangiani, Jyotsna Kapoor & many more.

    Airtel Digital TV CMO Sriram Sundresan said, “Indians have shown an appetite for content related to astrology and this service will offer them easy access to the latest related in the genre and will go a long way in answering their questions on the subject.”

    Dominiche MD Utpal Vaishnav said, “As part of our endeavor to constantly make unique and compelling content available to the DTH ecosystem, we have curated and produced the Astrovaani channel. The genre has the capability to drive a lot of viewership in India. The Astro genre also fills a significant void. Astrovaani features the best Indian astro experts, Dominiche has covered this genre most comprehensively by exclusively signing up over 350 top experts and creating over 500 hours of program content.”

  • Videocon d2h reports maiden annual net profit

    BENGALURU: Videocon d2h Limited (Videocon d2h) led by executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot reported its maiden annual net profit for the year ended 31 March 2017 (FY-17, current year or fiscal). Notwithstanding the effects of demonetization, overall, the company reported growth across important matrices including subscription and activation revenue, subscriber numbers and operating profits. Annual ARPU, despite declining within fiscal 2017 was flat as compared to the previous year.

    The company’s revenue from operations increased 7.6 percent to Rs 30,717.34 million in FY-17 from Rs 28,558.62 million in FY-16. The company’s consolidated profit after tax for the current year was Rs 304.42 million as compared to a loss of Rs 902.05 million in the previous year. Operating profit (adjusted EBIDTA, including other income) in the current year increased 27.1 percent in FY-17 to Rs 10,181 million. Adjusted EBIDTA less capex in FY-17 was Rs 3,932 million as compared to Rs 744 million in fiscal 2016.

    Net subscriber additions in the year were 1.05 million. The company closed fiscal 2017 with a net subscriber base of 12.91 million. The company reported 0.80 percent churn, slightly higher than the churn of 0.73 percent reported in the previous year. Average revenue per user (ARPU) for the current year came at Rs 207, same as the previous year. ARPU numbers for the four quarters of fiscal 2017 – Q1-17, Q2-17, Q3-17 and Q4-17 were Rs 211,Rs 209, Rs 205 and Rs 196 respectively. Average net EBIDTA per user increased to Rs 69 in FY-17 from Rs 61 in FY-16.

    Company speak

    Dhoot said, “I am excited to share that Fiscal 2017 has been a yet another landmark year for Videocon d2h, as the Company achieved net profit and free cash flow breakeven. The Company reported 27.1 percent year on year growth in EBITDA, despite moderation due to Government of India’s demonetization policy during the November 2016, which also coincided with the seasonally stronger second half. More importantly, our Adjusted EBITDA per subscriber per month grew a healthy 13.0 percent year on year to INR 69. This clearly demonstrates the strength of our business and our ability to monetize the subscribers we added in Phase III and Phase IV Digitization markets.

    During Fiscal 2017, we announced the scheme of amalgamation with Dish TV to create the fastest growing and the second largest pay TV company in the world, according to company estimates. We have now received the necessary approvals from the equity shareholders of Videocon d2h and the Competition Commission of India. The company has started working on an integration plan and has appointed Price Waterhouse Coopers, Deloitte and Aon Hewitt to work on post-merger integration along with the management of Videocon d2h and Dish TV India.”

    Speaking on the business outlook for the DTH sector, Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera said: “There has been numerous industry developments during Fiscal 2017, which we believe will provide for growth opportunities in the DTH sector in India. Recently, the government shared information on the applicable Goods and Service Tax (GST) rate for DTH. The GST rate of 18 percent for DTH operators could reduce tax payments in Fiscal 2018 and beyond.”

    Other matrices

    The company’s content cost in fiscal 2017 increased in terms of percentage of revenue to 39.9 percent compared to 37.8 percent in FY-16. During the four quarters of the current year – Q1-17, Q2-17, Q3-17 and Q4-17, content costs as percentage of revenue were: 38.7 percent, 38.7 percent, 39.6 and 42.5 percent respectively.

    The company has invested Rs 6,249 million towards capacity expansion (capex) in FY-17 as compared to Rs 7,269 million in FY-16 and Rs 7,649 million in FY-15.

  • Seven free Fashion TV 4K UHD channels available in India

    MUMBAI: Fashion TV has launched a 4K revolution in the country and surrounding regions by starting transmission of first seven FTA 4K UHD (Ultra-HD) television channels after NASA’s scientific content channel.

    The new channels can also be seen in China, Pakistan, the Middle East, East Africa and South East Asia, Ultra News reported.

    The channels utilise new video compression technology called HEVC or H.265 to reduce the amount of bandwidth needed for transmitting UHD content.

    The new channels however cannot be watched using most of the satellite receivers and available STBs. 4K satellite receivers with HEVC support in India at present costs around Rs 4,500, compared to Rs 1,000-1,300 for HD receivers with MPEG-4 support. But, cheaper HEVC models with 4K support could be purchased from e-commerce websites.

    The seven channels are being telecast from Apstar 7 satellite, which has been placed over India. The channels cater to different areas of fashion, such as films, make-up, photoshoots, men’s fashion, ‘midnite secrets’ and events.

    In India, a majority of the Ku-band channels are encrypted, and viewers need smart cards from DTH providers such as Dish TV and Tata Sky. Some services such as DD’s FreeDish and ABS are transmitted without encryption.

  • Tata Sky has spectrum glut, adding five more HD channels

    MUMBAI: Leading DTH operator Tata Sky is reportedly planning to add five more HD channels and take its total high-definition offering to 86. DTH operators in India mostly provide only 45-65 HD channels, while cable operators provide between 30-50 HD channels.

    The channels that are reportedly being added are MTV HD+, Surya (Malayalam), DSports, Udaya (Kannada) and Gemini Movies (Telugu). With 86 HD channels, the operator plans to further consolidate its position as the largest provider of high-definition content in India. Tata Sky hugely benefitted owing to an oversupply of spectrum after one of ISRO’s satellites failed to ‘terminate’ as scheduled.

    In the Indian subcontinent content delivery, Tata Sky was reportedly using 432 MHz of spectrum on INSAT-4A and was backing Dish TV, which had 648 MHz and Videocon D2h, which has 540 MHz. INSAT-4A was expected to reach ‘end of life’ this year, for whose replacement ISRO sent GSAT-10 to the same orbit.

    Both satellites however are working simultaneously. Owing to ISRO’s reported dilemma of neither being able to sell capacity on its new satellite nor on the old (about to die) satellite to a new player, Tata Sky has been allowed to use both satellites, and adds up to about 828 MHz of spectrum at its disposal, which is almost two times of what DTH operators have in India.

  • Lower deferred tax asset & demonetisation lower Dish TV numbers

    BENGALURU: The largest DTH operator in India in terms of subscriber numbers – Dish TV Limited (Dish TV) reported less than one-sixth profit after tax (PAT) for the year ended 31 March 2017 (FY-17, current year) as compared to the previous year. The company reported PAT of Rs 1,092.8 million for FY-17 as compared to PAT of Rs 6,924.2 million in fiscal 2016. Dish TV has shown deferred tax asset for FY-17 at Rs 740.3 million as compared to Rs 4,360 million in FY-17. The company’s assets and liabilities statement for FY-17 shows deferred tax asset of Rs 5,100.3 million – the sum of the deferred tax asset for both years.

    In its earnings release, Dish TV says that demonetisation outdid a good monsoon as well as thriving economic conditions of the last year. Consumer spending remained a challenge from the latter half to the fourth quarter. The initial growth momentum that could have catapulted the DTH industry to the next level in terms of subscriber additions, took a temporary but prolonged hit. The DTH industry slightly de-grew in terms of new acquisitions during the fiscal despite coming closer to the implementation of digitisation. Dish TV saw subscribers conserving cash for bigger necessities right from the time demonetisation was announced in November up to the end of the fiscal.

    Dish TV managing director Jawahar Goel said, “Fiscal 2017 threw up unprecedented challenges but the Dish TV team took things in its stride. We minimized the impact of demonetisation while focusing on a long-term advantage in the form of recharges through online modes. Despite the odds, Dish TV managed to increase its reach and subscriber base.”

    The company reported 1,029 thousand net subscriber additions during the year to take its subscriber base to 15.5 million.

    Dish TV reported operating revenues of Rs. 30,144 million in FY-17, up 4.2 percent as compared to Rs 28,941 million in the previous year. Subscription revenues of Rs. 27,696 million in the current year were 4.1 per higher than the Rs 26,617 million in the previous year.

    Dish TV EBITDA declined 5.1 percent in the current year to Rs. 9,728 million (margin at 32.3 percent) from Rs 10,249 million (38.5 percent margin) in FY-16.

    Dish TV’s total expenditure in FY-17 increased 9.2 percent to Rs 20,415 million from Rs  18,692 million in the previous year. Cost of goods and services in fiscal 2017 increased 9.5 percent to Rs 14,371 million from Rs `13,122 million in FY-16. Employee Benefit Expense in FY-17 increased 9.5 percent to Rs 1,465 million from Rs 1,229 million. Sales & Distribution Expenses increased 9.6 percent in FY-17 to Rs 3,108 million from Rs 2,836 million in the previous year. Other expenses declined 2.3 percent to Rs 1,470 million from Rs 1,505 million. Finance costs increased 7.3 percent in FY-17 to Rs 2,239 million from Rs 2,087 million.

    Company speak:

    Goel, said, “Revenue growth in the current fiscal is largely going to be a function of subscriber additions and Phase 4 of digitisation should have a material role to play in that. The proposed amalgamation (with Videocon d2h) will further help create scale in the highly-fragmented TV distribution landscape in India while creating significant synergies through the combination.”

    On technological developments, Goel, revealed, “We understand that digital will be an important part of our growth in the future and we are excited about our portfolio of products lined up for launch in the coming quarters. Dish TV’s new HTML 5 based middleware with a card less box and a new chip set is already in advanced stages of testing and would hit the market soon.”

    DTH services will be subject to 18 percent GST rate as soon as the new indirect tax regime is implemented in the country. On the new GST regime, Goel said, “What should be significant in addition to our ability to pass on the uniform tax to subscribers would be the ease of doing day-to-day business and the associated savings in administration, litigation as well as compliance costs that should result from a simpler tax regime. Unlike the current Entertainment Tax and VAT regime, where different rules are used to determine tax in different regions, GST would be a single tax that should be practical and convenient to pass-on to the consumer.”

  • CASBAA Sat Forum: Innovation at every level vital, b’band driving HTS, a maturing tech

    MUMBAI: “There have been more dramatic changes in the global satellite industry in the past two years than we have been seen in the last twenty-five,” said SES Networks’ CEO Steve Collar, at the close of the CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2017 in Singapore.

    That comment summarised nine hours of high-octane insights, statements and data downloads testing the temperature of the Asian satellite market at CASBAA’s 17th annual meeting of satellite executives, engineers and investors.

    “This has been an energising, challenging day which laid out the immediate and long-term opportunities and challenges for the satellite sector in Asia in terms of both commercial and technical issues,” said CASBAA CEO, Christopher Slaughter. “We have been given a lot to think about. Innovation at every level must be at the heart of all our businesses.”

    According to keynote speaker – AsiaSat CEO Andrew Jordan, video distribution via satellite represents some 70% of revenues for most geo-satellite operators in the region with Ultra High Definition (UHD) and 4K services “all the rage” despite representing a less than 20% transition from Standard Definition services in Asia. “Mobility and broadband are the latest must-have applications, driving HTS (High Throughput Satellites) which is a maturing technology with enormous promise,”

    The potential benefits and disadvantages of HTS and “cut-throat” competition were an overarching theme of the conference, which also covered such items as in-flight connectivity, maritime services, reusable launch vehicles, flat panel antennas, new satellite manufacturing processes and the on-going promise of the satellite market in India.

    Some quotable quotes:

    From the Operators
    · There are 600 million households out there without TV. The opportunity for satellite remains enormous – Tom Choi, ABS
    · When the millennials start families they are like the rest of US. They slump back on their settees – Andrew Jordan, AsiaSat
    · If we don’t play in the 5G space other technologies will take over for sure – Deepak Mather, SES

    From the Manufacturers
    · Our customers are increasingly asking for Flexible, Refreshable, Blended Constellations that will last forever. It’s all over the map – Dawn Harms, Boeing Satellite
    · Manufacturers also need to help with the ground segment – Tony Colucci, VP Sales, SSL
    · From GEO to LEO . . . It’s a cultural difference – Tony Colucci, SSL
    · To provide for the “extended life” of a satellites (maybe to match the life of a co-located satellite) GEO manufacturers need agree on a standardized USB for in-orbit connectivity – Olivier Guilbert, Thales Alenia
    · Now we must be “Datacentric”, Tony Colucci, SSL

    From the Customers
    · We are now entering uncharted territory – Chris Baugh, Northern Sky Research
    · Competition is fierce – PJ Beylier, Speedcast
    · Consolidation is coming, but it must be at the operator level – Deepakajit Singh, Encompass Media
    · Transponder costs may yet fall by 30%-40% — Deepak Singh, Encompass

    On HTS
    · HTS is the thing — Tony Colucci, SSL
    · It’s not just about providing highest throughput, it’s about jointly driving the ecosystem to make it more efficient – Elias Zaccack, SES

    On Flat Panels
    · We need multi frequency, multi-beam spectrum. The ability to switch between Ka to KU via LEO or GEO is crucial — John Finney, Isotropic
    · It’s more complicated than almost anybody thought a few years ago – Susan Bull, Comsys
    · People aren’t going to buy a flat-panel antenna just because it’s pretty! — Alvaro Sanchez, Intergrasys

    The Launch Panel
    · Our objective is to relaunch the rocket after one hour — Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX
    · Launch, Re-fuel and re-launch — Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX
    · They say there will be 24,000 LEO launches in the next while. What about space junk? – Peter Jackson, PJ Square
    · Less price, more performance! That is what we will deliver ,– Tom Carroll, ILS International

    On India
    · Digitise, digitise, digitise! But when can we monetize? – Ashok Mansukhani, Hinduja Media
    · India is a country where stats sarely make sense — Ashok Mansukhani
    · The DTH industry will remain a volume-led market for the next 5 years – Vivek Coutop, MPA

    The CASBAA Satellite Industry Forum 2017 also appreciates the generous support of the sponsors for this year’s event:

    ABS, APSTAR, Arianespace, AsiaSat, Boeing Satellite Systems, COMSYS, Effective Space, Eutelsat, Gogo, Intergrasys , International Launch Services (ILS), Marsh, MEASAT, Newtec, NorthTelecom, SES, SKY Perfect JSAT, SpaceX and SSL.

  • Under GST, taxes on cable, DTH & entertainment services to come down

    NEW DELHI: Taxation on entertainment, cable and DTH services shall come down under the Goods and Services Tax regime as the entertainment tax levied by states has been subsumed in the GST, the Indian government said today.

    The Finance Ministry in a statement said services by way of admission to entertainment events or cinematography films in cinema theatres will attract 28 per cent GST with effect from July 1. Currently, states impose entertainment tax of up to 100 per cent in respect of exhibition of cinematography films in theatres/cinema halls.

    The GST Council has finalized 18 per cent tax rate on cable TV and DTH services.
    Currently, these services attract an entertainment tax in states in the range of 10-30 per cent over and above the service tax levy of 15 per cent.

    Under the GST regime, hardware equipment for both radio and television transmission and reception is expected to rise.
    The rates on services by way of admission to entertainment events or cinematography films in cinema theatres is 28 per cent under the GST as compared to some states which have been charging as high as 100 per cent until now.

    Thus, taxes on entertainments and amusements (covered by the erstwhile entry 62 of State List of the Constitution) have been subsumed under GST except to the extent of taxes on entertainments and amusements levied by a panchayat (village administration) or a municipality.

    The rate of GST approved by GST Council on access to circus, theatre, Indian classical dance including folk dance and drama is 18 per cent ad valorem. Further, the GST Council has approved an exemption up to a consideration for admission of Rs 250 per person. These services currently attract entertainment tax levied by the States.

    Thus, entertainment services will be lower under GST. In addition to the benefit of lower headline rates of GST, the service providers shall be eligible for full input tax credits (ITC) of GST paid in respect of inputs and input services. Presently, such service providers are not eligible to avail of input credits in respect of VAT paid on domestically procured capital goods & inputs or of Special Additional Duty (SAD) paid on imported capital goods and inputs. Thus, while GST is a value added tax, entertainment tax, presently levied by the States is like a turnover tax.

    Transmission and reception apparatus for both radio and television have been placed in the top category of 28 per cent of the four slabs of the GST. However, the rates may stabilize as taxes levied by states are subsumed in GST.

    Other items coming under the 28 per cent slab are: single loudspeakers, mounted in their enclosures, Audio-frequency electric amplifiers, Electric sound amplifier sets, Parts; Sound recording or reproducing apparatus; and Video recording or reproducing apparatus, whether or not incorporating a video tuner.

    Transmission equipment for radio or TV broadcasting reception apparatus or sound recording or reproducing apparatus; television cameras, digital cameras and video cameras recorders reception apparatus or sound recording or reproducing apparatus; television cameras, digital cameras and video cameras recorders also come under this slab.

    Monitors and projectors, not incorporating television reception apparatus, reception apparatus for television, whether or not incorporating radio-broadcast receiver or sound or video recording or reproducing apparatus also fall in this category.

    Meanwhile, BMR Advisors have said that the information technology sector needs to brace for increase in rates of tax under GST. However, effective planning of credits including on transition stock may aid the sector in mitigating this impact.

    In information technology, both imported and domestically produced mobile phones come in the 12 per cent slab.

    Shrink wrapped software product (on media) will attract tax rate of 18 per cent, as will Laptops, desktops, peripherals, parts, etc. Monitors and projectors (capable of connecting to ADP) will attract a rate of 28 per cent, while the majority of networking products will attract 18 per cent.

    Temporary transfer or permitting the use or enjoyment of any Intellectual Property will attract a GST of 12 per cent.
    In services, software services, that is development, design, programming, customization, adaptation, upgradation, enhancement, implementation of information technology software will attract 198 PER cent GST while Electronic supply of software will attract a tax of 12 per cent.

  • FreeDish goes for second auction in May

    NEW DELHI: After bagging three new general entertainment channels earlier this month, Doordarshan is all set for the 35th e-auction for its DTH platform FreeDish next week, thus marking the first time when a second e-auction is being held within the same month.

    The e-auction confined to only non-news and current affairs channels is set for 25 May 2017 will have a reserve price of Rs 80 million as in the e-auction held on 9 May when Sony Wah, Zee Anmol Cinema, and 9X Jalwa successfully bid to come on the platform. Each bid came at the reserve price, Rs 80 million. The Parliament was informed earlier last month that Doordarshan’s DTH platform was soon getting approval to increase this capacity to 250 channels over the next two years.

    But, DD got a jolt last month when its 33rd e-auction slated for 11 April could not be held. Although there was no official confirmation, indiantelevision.com learnt that FreeDish auction could not be held because there were no applicants. After final trials of MPEG4 and the success of the 32nd auction in February, the reserve price for the next auction has been raised to Rs 80 million from Rs 48 million per slot.

    Until last year, the reserve price was Rs 43 million but one channel fetched the bid of Rs 70 million in the auction held on 14 February 2017.

    Earlier last year, the price for one channel went up to Rs 53 million and gave DD the confidence to raise the price which had been Rs 37 million till 2015 but was raised to Rs 43 million for the 25th e-auction in January 2016.

    The e-Auction will be conducted by M/s. C1 India Pvt. Ltd., Noida which also conducted the FM Radio Phase III auctions on behalf of Prasar Bharati.   
    The participation amount (EMD) in the e-Auction is Rs.28 million – up from Rs 15 million – which has to be deposited in advance before or by 12 noon on the date of auction along with processing fee of Rs.25,000 (non-refundable, up from Rs 10,000) in favour of PB (BCI) Doordarshan Commercial Service, New Delhi.

    Incremental amount for the auction will be Rs One Million and the time for every slot e-auction will be of fifteen minutes duration. This may be extended by five minutes if a bid is received before the closing time.

    Unsuccessful bidders will get back the participation amount of Rs 28 million within three weeks of the results.

    However, Doordarshan has changed its payment regimen and made it stricter.

    The first installment of 25 per cent of the bid price with the applicable service tax will have to be paid within one month from date of placement of channel.

    The second installment of 25 per cent of the total bid price along with the applicable service tax will have to be paid within four months of placement of channel.

    The third installment of remaining amount after adjusting the participation fee and previous installments but adding the applicable service tax will be deposited within seven months of placement of channel.

    If any of the installments is not paid in time, a penal interest of 14.5 per cent per annum will be levied.

    If there is failure in depositing an installment for two months, the deposited participation amount along with any installment paid will be forfeited and the channel discontinued after a 21-day discontinuation notice.

    Doordarshan had in October last year formally announced that FreeDish was capable of carrying 104 television channels and 24 channels would be added to the existing 80 channels after the launch of MPEG4 technology.

    In line with the ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make in India’, DD has implemented Indian CAS (iCAS) on DD FreeDish Platform. iCAS (which is an initiative of the central government) was introduced in the auction held last month. The introduction of iCAS will provide enhanced viewing experience.

    DD officials said the existing viewers will continue to get 80 SDTV channels and 32 radio channels, but will have to obtain iCAS-enabled authorized set-top boxes for accessing all new channels.

    Although Free Dish will remain free-to-air with no monthly or periodic fee, the viewers will be required to register with DD FreeDish on getting the new STB from Doordarshan authorized STB dealers.

     DD officials said implementation of iCAS and authorisation of STB original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) by Doordarshan will give a major thrust to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’. At present, a majority of STBs are imported. However, the introduction of iCAS will help in standardization of STBs and encourage quality STB manufacturing in India.

    With analogue having been switched off, Parliament had been told that many stakeholders feel that FreeDish is the best option in Phase IV which covers rural India.

    FreeDish was launched with a modest bouquet of 33 channels in December 2004, and now carries eighty TV channels and 32 radio channels. This includes 22 Doordarshan channels and two parliamentary channels, seven general entertainment channels, 18 movie channels, 13 news channels, seven music channels, three religious channels and eight channels of other genres. The All-India Radio stations also piggy-back on the platform.

    Also read:

    MIB favours switching to DTH if consumers have problems with MSOs or LCOs

    FreeDish aims to reach 150 channels, earned Rs 3 bn in a year

    DD FreeDish auction next week, reserve price is Rs 80 million

  • Learn acting on Tata Sky’s Adda for Rs 59 a month

    MUMBAI: Tata Sky, India’s innovative content distribution platform, HAS announced the launch of its latest interactive service ‘Tata Sky Acting Adda’ powered by FTheCouch (FTC).

    This service priced at Rs 59/- month will be available exclusively to Tata Sky subs on #111 & on Tata Sky Mobile app.

    This revolutionary service will not only offer acting lessons to all the Bollywood dreamers but also offer a platform where they can send auditions and try for their big break from the comfort of their homes. Tata Sky has partnered with FTheCouch (FTC), a Suniel Shetty and Mukesh Chhabra initiative, to create exclusive content with the best acting teachers and to source the best job opportunities across Movies, TV shows, Theatre, Advertising and more.

    Tata Sky Acting Adda had a star-studded launch with National Award winner Ajay Devgn, Bollywood stalwart Suniel Shetty, the leading casting director of Bollywood, Mukesh Chhabra along with Tata Sky’s Chief Commercial Officer, Pallavi Puri, at a press conference in Mumbai. Its tagline ‘Bade Break Ka Bada Manch’ came to life with an engaging live performance depicting the journey of a Bollywood aspirant and culminating with the launch of an ad campaign featuring the legendary superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

    Speaking at the launch, Pallavi Puri, Chief Commercial Officer, Tata Sky, said, “There is a hidden actor in many of us. But, not everyone has the means to hone their talent or the access to find the right opportunities. With Tata Sky Acting Adda, we have tried to bridge this gap. This service will help acting aspirants get a little closer to their dreams of acting on any platform. That too without leaving their homes and landing in Mumbai, the way thousands do today.”

    She further added, “For those not keen on facing the camera, there is a lot of exciting original content to keep them entertained like exclusive star interviews, behind the scenes & more.”

    An exclusive service for Tata Sky subscribers, Tata Sky Acting Adda is the first service on Indian television to offer acting lessons delivered by experts from FTII, NSD, Barry John School of Acting and more. A unique curriculum has been designed for this service where each day, one can learn different aspects of D.R.A.M.A. – Dialogue, Roleplay, Action & Dance, Makeover and Auditions. There’s even special content like acting workshops for kids and short films over the weekend.

    Speaking about his vision, Suniel Shetty says, “The media industry largely depends on new talent, which is the key word to unlock all doors for its growth. Having spent a quarter of a century in front of the camera, I strongly felt the need to streamline the behind-the-scenes processes, to provide new talent, the platform it deserves. Hence Acting Adda, powered by FTC was conceived and curated. To deliver this service, I couldn’t have found a better associate than Tata Sky, with whom we have already successfully partnered, for our ongoing Fitness service. Henceforth those in search of stardom, can start off by just clicking 111, rather than dashing off to Mumbai. From Acting to Auditions, we teach it all.”

    Mukesh Chhabra said, “In my professional capacity as a casting director, having given breaks to Sushant Singh Rajput, Richa Chaddha, Fatima Sheikh, Sanya Malhotra, child artiste Harshali Malhotra, amongst many others, it’s a privileged next stop, for me to be associated with AAA and FTC, two fully integrated digital platforms. They are both bound to expand the base of talent, at a click of a button.”

    The interactive segment of Tata Sky Acting Adda will offer audition details, a fun Bollywood quiz and exciting video based challenges to test acting skills and reward winners with gratification that may just take them one step closer to achieving their dreams of acting.