Category: DTH

Essel Group to acquire further 4.95 per cent in Dish TV Videocond2h from Dhoots

MUMBAI: The Essel group today announced that it has agreed with the Dhoot family that it will acquire an additional 4.95 per cent equity of Dish TV Videocon d2h (DTV d2h) – the company being created out of the merger of Dish TV India Ltd (DTIL) and Videocon d2h Ltd (VD2h).

The additional transaction will take place a day after the merged entity starts trading on the National stock exchanges at the first day’s closing price. The deal will take placed through Essel group company Veena Investments.

The purchase will see the Essel group’s equity holding in Dish TV Videocon d2h (DTVd2h) go up to 40.95 per cent. The media group’s share of DTVd2h will further rise as it has agreed with the Dhoot family to acquire an additional 4.95 per cent equity shares from it a year after the merged entity starts trading on the NSE. Both will have a window of three months to complete the transaction then.

The Dhoot family’s equity stake in DTVd2h will fall to 23.05 following the first sale and to 18.1 per cent following the second, while the Essel group’s holding will rise to 45.9 per cent at the end of the second transaction. This clearly indicates who will be in the drivers seat at DTVd2h – Jawahar Goel, the brother of media baron Subhash Chandra.

The two family groups had earlier this month announced the merger of their two firms which would result in the creation of a pay TV provider with a subscriber base of 27.6 million, making it the second largest in the world just after the US pay TV giant DirecTV and ahead of John Malone’s Charter Communications.

Pre-merger, the Essel group owns 64.44 per cent equity in DTIL, the Dhoot family owns 51.17 per cent in Vd2h. 35.95 per cent of the latter’s holding is in the hands of overseas depository holders on Nasdaq on which it is listed. The firm is to be delisted from the US exchange and the depositary receipt holders will have the option to directly get shares of DTVd2h or its GDRs as the latter is expected to be listed on the Luxemborg stock exchange apart from the Bombay stock exchange and the NSE.

November 29, 2016
Pak DTH: Mag, Shahzad & Star Time to start ops in a year

MUMBAI: Three direct-to-home (DTH) licences in Pakistan were on Wednesday awarded for a total of PKR 14.694 billion (USD 140 million) by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as confirmed by its Twitter handle.

The auction started after Pakistan’s apex court permitted PEMRA to go ahead with the bidding although the Lahore HC had issued a stay on the process.

The highest bid was raised by Mag Entertainment for PKR 4.91 billion, respectively followed by M/s. Shahzad Sky for PKR 4.90 billion and M/s. Star Time for Rs 4.89 billion, Pakistani newspapers reported. PEMRA issued non-exclusive licences for 15 years to the three companies. The licencees will have to start operations within a year or risk termination.

PEMRA chairman Absar Alam said the DTH service would not end the cable operators’ business, but would compel them to invest in technology and distribution systems.

Pakistani DTH services would counter the sale of illegal Indian DTH services in Pakistan, which leads to annual transfer of between US$ 200 million to US$ 350 million to India on account of subscription fee. The DTH services will now give Pakistani consumers a choice against the existing monopoly of cable operators.

Terming DTH a game-changer, Alam said, it was the biggest investment in Pakistan’s electronic media history. As per estimates and feasibility studies carried out by PEMRA experts, the overall investment, Alam said without explaining, would be US$ 450 million ($ 150 million each) and could reach an additional US$ 750 million in the next two years, newspaper reports stated. Alam said that those estimates did not include the bidding proceeds.

The DTH service, Alam said, was a state-of-the art technology adding new dimension to the audio-visual content distribution system. The existing analogue system was offering a maximum of 80 channels while the DTH, Alam added, would increase the capacity to around 120 and each local DTH licence holder was expected to have at least 500,000 subscribers.

Similarly, landing rights will be permitted to foreign channels to come under the local regime, and new local satellite channels will be approved.

Also read:

http://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-operator/pak-dth-licence-bidding-stayed-161123

http://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-operator/pak-to-award-three-dth-licences-on-23-nov-chinese-uae-companies-in-fray-161119

http://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-services/pemra-announces-dth-licence-bidders-indian-dth-eviction-to-continue-161116

November 24, 2016
Pak DTH: Mag, Shahzad & Star Time to start ops in a year

MUMBAI: Three direct-to-home (DTH) licences in Pakistan were on Wednesday awarded for a total of PKR 14.694 billion (USD 140 million) by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as confirmed by its Twitter handle.

The auction started after Pakistan’s apex court permitted PEMRA to go ahead with the bidding although the Lahore HC had issued a stay on the process.

The highest bid was raised by Mag Entertainment for PKR 4.91 billion, respectively followed by M/s. Shahzad Sky for PKR 4.90 billion and M/s. Star Time for Rs 4.89 billion, Pakistani newspapers reported. PEMRA issued non-exclusive licences for 15 years to the three companies. The licencees will have to start operations within a year or risk termination.

PEMRA chairman Absar Alam said the DTH service would not end the cable operators’ business, but would compel them to invest in technology and distribution systems.

Pakistani DTH services would counter the sale of illegal Indian DTH services in Pakistan, which leads to annual transfer of between US$ 200 million to US$ 350 million to India on account of subscription fee. The DTH services will now give Pakistani consumers a choice against the existing monopoly of cable operators.

Terming DTH a game-changer, Alam said, it was the biggest investment in Pakistan’s electronic media history. As per estimates and feasibility studies carried out by PEMRA experts, the overall investment, Alam said without explaining, would be US$ 450 million ($ 150 million each) and could reach an additional US$ 750 million in the next two years, newspaper reports stated. Alam said that those estimates did not include the bidding proceeds.

The DTH service, Alam said, was a state-of-the art technology adding new dimension to the audio-visual content distribution system. The existing analogue system was offering a maximum of 80 channels while the DTH, Alam added, would increase the capacity to around 120 and each local DTH licence holder was expected to have at least 500,000 subscribers.

Similarly, landing rights will be permitted to foreign channels to come under the local regime, and new local satellite channels will be approved.

Also read:

http://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-operator/pak-dth-licence-bidding-stayed-161123

http://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-operator/pak-to-award-three-dth-licences-on-23-nov-chinese-uae-companies-in-fray-161119

http://www.indiantelevision.com/dth/dth-services/pemra-announces-dth-licence-bidders-indian-dth-eviction-to-continue-161116

November 24, 2016
Pak DTH licence bidding stayed

MUMBAI: The Lahore High Court reportedly stayed the DTH licence bidding process till a decision on petitions challenging PEMRA rules governing licences is taken.

A bench headed by Justice Ayesha A. Malik issued the order suspending the DTH (direct-to-home) licence bidding process scheduled for Wednesday, Dawn reported.

The decision was taken on similar applications filed by the Independent Newspaper Corporation and others.

The bench had already heard the main case against the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) rules on DTH service licences and reserved its judgement.

Some media companies had questioned the rules terming them discriminatory. They accused PEMRA of not allowing local broadcasters to participate in the bidding. PEMRA had opposed the petitions arguing that a broadcaster could not be a distributor of its own content. It would be a conflict of interests, PEMRA stated.

Cable operators strike off

The Cable Operators Association on Tuesday called off its strike following discussion with the minister of state for information Marriyum Aurangzeb and the Pakistan Broadcasters Association.

COA president Khalid Arain said the government had assured them that their concern over DTH licences the issue would be addressed.

PBA supports cable operators

Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) chairman Mian Amir Mehmood has said that a joint committee would negotiate the terms regarding DTH with the government. He said that DTH was unfair to the cable industry and the Pakistani channels.

If the reservations of Pakistani channels and the cable industry were not resolved, it was also decided in the meeting, the PBA members will not allow PEMRA to telecast its channels on the DTH. The PBA has also assured the cable operators of its support in case of retaliation by PEMRA, the News reported.

Cable channels subsequently reopened throughout Pakistan.

Also read

Cable TV suspended in parts of Pakistan; Senate okays DTH plan

PEMRA announces DTH licence bidders; Indian DTH eviction to continue

November 23, 2016
Pak DTH licence bidding stayed

MUMBAI: The Lahore High Court reportedly stayed the DTH licence bidding process till a decision on petitions challenging PEMRA rules governing licences is taken.

A bench headed by Justice Ayesha A. Malik issued the order suspending the DTH (direct-to-home) licence bidding process scheduled for Wednesday, Dawn reported.

The decision was taken on similar applications filed by the Independent Newspaper Corporation and others.

The bench had already heard the main case against the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) rules on DTH service licences and reserved its judgement.

Some media companies had questioned the rules terming them discriminatory. They accused PEMRA of not allowing local broadcasters to participate in the bidding. PEMRA had opposed the petitions arguing that a broadcaster could not be a distributor of its own content. It would be a conflict of interests, PEMRA stated.

Cable operators strike off

The Cable Operators Association on Tuesday called off its strike following discussion with the minister of state for information Marriyum Aurangzeb and the Pakistan Broadcasters Association.

COA president Khalid Arain said the government had assured them that their concern over DTH licences the issue would be addressed.

PBA supports cable operators

Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) chairman Mian Amir Mehmood has said that a joint committee would negotiate the terms regarding DTH with the government. He said that DTH was unfair to the cable industry and the Pakistani channels.

If the reservations of Pakistani channels and the cable industry were not resolved, it was also decided in the meeting, the PBA members will not allow PEMRA to telecast its channels on the DTH. The PBA has also assured the cable operators of its support in case of retaliation by PEMRA, the News reported.

Cable channels subsequently reopened throughout Pakistan.

Also read

Cable TV suspended in parts of Pakistan; Senate okays DTH plan

PEMRA announces DTH licence bidders; Indian DTH eviction to continue

November 23, 2016
Cable TV suspended in parts of Pakistan; Senate okays DTH plan

MUMBAI: Cable operators have suspended their services in different areas of Pakistan after unfruitful dialogue with the government on the postponement of Direct-To-Home (DTH) licences to be auctioned tomorrow.

Around three million consumers use Indian DTH, and the government plans to eliminate it through local facilities and save about PKR 24 billion in capital flight to India. Estimates of DTH users range from 70,000 to 2.5 million with most of them concentrated in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi.

Cable services in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Gujarat and Multan have been suspended. In Balochistan’s capital Quetta, however, cable TV was still running, Pakistani newspapers reported.

Pakistan’s Senate panel on information, broadcasting and national heritage has asked Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to proceed with its decision to launch an indigenous Direct to Home (DTH) television system.

Opposing the move, operators started suspending their services in various parts following their complete strike call from Monday evening. Cable Operators’ Association staged a protest at the press club announcing closure of the services.

The Senate meeting, chaired by senator Kamil Ali Agha, was informed by PEMRA chairman Absar Alam that it held successful meeting with the operators and decided that Pakistani DTH would be launched in November 2017 giving them time for system upgradation. Still, they announced shutdown of cable, he added.

Alam said that operators had no problem with illegal Indian DTH and demanded to lift ban on Indian content. But, they want the PEMRA DTH plan abolished which was unconvincing. Alam said PEMRA had taken concrete steps to stop Indian content and Indian movies on the cable.

Earlier, finance minister Ishaq Dar reportedly refused to agree to operators’ demand and decided that the DTH auction will be held as per schedule on Wednesday. The successful bidder however would start its operation from November next year.

Not budging from their positions, operators are now likely to go on strike for an indefinite period. Cable Operators Association chairman Khalid Arain, on 15 November, said that DTH launch was not justified since the cable operators invested billions in converting the analogue cable system into the digital one. Arain said they needed at least three years to create awareness among the people about cable digitalisation.

Unlike the analogue connections, DTH service is a digital platform that transfers channels directly into homes from satellite through small dish antennas. The service is reliable and allows consumers to view high-definition video. The quality of channels at the end on the bandwidth does not diminish such as those on cable.

Also read

Pak to award three DTH licences on 23 Nov; Chinese, UAE companies also in fray

November 22, 2016
Cable TV suspended in parts of Pakistan; Senate okays DTH plan

MUMBAI: Cable operators have suspended their services in different areas of Pakistan after unfruitful dialogue with the government on the postponement of Direct-To-Home (DTH) licences to be auctioned tomorrow.

Around three million consumers use Indian DTH, and the government plans to eliminate it through local facilities and save about PKR 24 billion in capital flight to India. Estimates of DTH users range from 70,000 to 2.5 million with most of them concentrated in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi.

Cable services in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Gujarat and Multan have been suspended. In Balochistan’s capital Quetta, however, cable TV was still running, Pakistani newspapers reported.

Pakistan’s Senate panel on information, broadcasting and national heritage has asked Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to proceed with its decision to launch an indigenous Direct to Home (DTH) television system.

Opposing the move, operators started suspending their services in various parts following their complete strike call from Monday evening. Cable Operators’ Association staged a protest at the press club announcing closure of the services.

The Senate meeting, chaired by senator Kamil Ali Agha, was informed by PEMRA chairman Absar Alam that it held successful meeting with the operators and decided that Pakistani DTH would be launched in November 2017 giving them time for system upgradation. Still, they announced shutdown of cable, he added.

Alam said that operators had no problem with illegal Indian DTH and demanded to lift ban on Indian content. But, they want the PEMRA DTH plan abolished which was unconvincing. Alam said PEMRA had taken concrete steps to stop Indian content and Indian movies on the cable.

Earlier, finance minister Ishaq Dar reportedly refused to agree to operators’ demand and decided that the DTH auction will be held as per schedule on Wednesday. The successful bidder however would start its operation from November next year.

Not budging from their positions, operators are now likely to go on strike for an indefinite period. Cable Operators Association chairman Khalid Arain, on 15 November, said that DTH launch was not justified since the cable operators invested billions in converting the analogue cable system into the digital one. Arain said they needed at least three years to create awareness among the people about cable digitalisation.

Unlike the analogue connections, DTH service is a digital platform that transfers channels directly into homes from satellite through small dish antennas. The service is reliable and allows consumers to view high-definition video. The quality of channels at the end on the bandwidth does not diminish such as those on cable.

Also read

Pak to award three DTH licences on 23 Nov; Chinese, UAE companies also in fray

November 22, 2016
Zindagi, Tata Sky tie up for contest; winners to celebrate New Year in Turkey

MUMBAI: Zindagi, a leading premium entertainment channel, has always offered viewers unique experiences and presented the best stories from across the world.

Taking this value proposition a step ahead, the channel has associated with one of India’s leading content distribution platform providing Pay TV and OTT services, Tata Sky. The ‘Zindagi New Year in Turkey Contest’ will start on 21 November and end on 5 December 2016.

Zindagi will offer Tata Sky subscribers a chance to win an all-expense paid holiday for two to Turkey in January 2017. Five lucky winners along with a companion each will get a chance to visit Turkey by answering few simple questions on the blockbuster primetime series, ‘Fatmagul’ that airs on Zindagi Monday to Saturday at 9:00 PM.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) chief business officer Sunil Buch said, “Our Turkish shows have acquainted viewers with a country that is known for its beautiful locations, good stories, great talent and people whose sensibilities and values are similar Indians. Our partnership with Tata Sky allows us us an opportunity to delight viewers with a memorable holiday to Turkey for the appreciation they have given to Turkish shows on Zindagi.”

Tata Sky chief communications officer Malay Dikshit said, “The co-marketing initiative with Zindagi is a win-win for all. Imagine that one can be rewarded for watching good quality TV – something that they enjoy!.”

Tata Sky subscribers can answer questions based on Fatmagul by pressing the Red Button on their Tata Sky remote while watching the show on Zindagi. This will lead them to a landing page where they need to answer few simple questions. The contest will be LIVE on Zindagi only during the original episode airing i.e. from 9: 00 PM to 10: 00 PM, Monday to Saturday. The contest will be promoted heavily through promos on the Default Landing Channel, Search & Scan Banner & Guide Banner across all TATA Sky households.

Zindagi presents finite world stories with bold narratives that unveil universal emotions. Tata Sky, a JV between the Tata Group and 21st Century Fox, was the first to launch multiple products and services that redefined the subscribers viewing experience in the country.

November 19, 2016
Zindagi, Tata Sky tie up for contest; winners to celebrate New Year in Turkey

MUMBAI: Zindagi, a leading premium entertainment channel, has always offered viewers unique experiences and presented the best stories from across the world.

Taking this value proposition a step ahead, the channel has associated with one of India’s leading content distribution platform providing Pay TV and OTT services, Tata Sky. The ‘Zindagi New Year in Turkey Contest’ will start on 21 November and end on 5 December 2016.

Zindagi will offer Tata Sky subscribers a chance to win an all-expense paid holiday for two to Turkey in January 2017. Five lucky winners along with a companion each will get a chance to visit Turkey by answering few simple questions on the blockbuster primetime series, ‘Fatmagul’ that airs on Zindagi Monday to Saturday at 9:00 PM.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) chief business officer Sunil Buch said, “Our Turkish shows have acquainted viewers with a country that is known for its beautiful locations, good stories, great talent and people whose sensibilities and values are similar Indians. Our partnership with Tata Sky allows us us an opportunity to delight viewers with a memorable holiday to Turkey for the appreciation they have given to Turkish shows on Zindagi.”

Tata Sky chief communications officer Malay Dikshit said, “The co-marketing initiative with Zindagi is a win-win for all. Imagine that one can be rewarded for watching good quality TV – something that they enjoy!.”

Tata Sky subscribers can answer questions based on Fatmagul by pressing the Red Button on their Tata Sky remote while watching the show on Zindagi. This will lead them to a landing page where they need to answer few simple questions. The contest will be LIVE on Zindagi only during the original episode airing i.e. from 9: 00 PM to 10: 00 PM, Monday to Saturday. The contest will be promoted heavily through promos on the Default Landing Channel, Search & Scan Banner & Guide Banner across all TATA Sky households.

Zindagi presents finite world stories with bold narratives that unveil universal emotions. Tata Sky, a JV between the Tata Group and 21st Century Fox, was the first to launch multiple products and services that redefined the subscribers viewing experience in the country.

November 19, 2016
Pak to award three DTH licences on 23 Nov; Chinese, UAE companies also in fray

MUMBAI: Twelve companies have been shortlisted by PEMRA to bid for the award of three DTH licences on 23 November which is anticipated to fetch around US$400 million. Initially the authority will issue license for a period of 15 years, which will be extended as per agreement.

No TV channel would be allowed to be a part of the licence directly. The base price for the bid offering was PKR 20 million.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority is expecting indirect and direct investment of PKR 4194 crore (INR 2720 crore) through bidding of Direct to Home licenses during the next three years. PEMRA officials said the body will open the bidding process at the PEMRA headquarters to give away three licenses, for which 12 companies including Chinese, Russian and UAE firms out of 16 had been selected, Pakistani newspapers reported.

The short-listed companies are:

Mag Entertainment Lahore

Orient Electronics Lahore

Skyflix Islamabad

Startimes Communications Islamabad

Smart Sky Islamabad

Sardar Builders Islamabad

Parus Media and Broadcast Islamabad

Naya Tel Islamabad

Shahzad Sky Islamabad

Maestro Media Distribution Islamabad

HB DTH Islamabad

IQ Communications Karachi

PEMRA had fixed the price of DTH service box PKR 2,500 to PKR 3,000 and its subscription fee will be only PKR 550 a month.

Countrywide, this decision is forecast to create 1,500 direct and 15,000 indirect employment opportunities. PEMRA officials said DTH had captured maximum 25 per cent market while the rest was being served by digital cable suppliers.

There are around three million consumers, using Indian DTH, and the government aims to eliminate it through local facilities and save about PKR 24 billion in capital flight to India.

A PEMRA official said that a Chinese firm was keen to establish a company in Pakistan to manufacture set-top box for DTH and digital cable TV. The Pakistani cable market is primarily analogue, and the most of the operators have not adequately invested in upgrading their networks.

Cable operators in Pakistan had launched an anti-DTH campaign. The Cable Operators Association had staged a protest last week against the DTH bidding. Association chairman Khalid Arain said that the PEMRA chairman had assured the association that PEMRA would not launch DTH in the next two years, warning it to stop the bidding or face the consequences.

Meanwhile, Christian Post reported that PEMRA had banned all 11 Christian TV channels airing in the country and arrested at least six cable operators for defying the order.

PEMRA does not grant landing rights for religious content, allowing the airing of Christian messages only for Christmas and Easter.

However, the Christian channels had been operating for over 25 years. PEMRA has now formally labelled the Christian channels as illegal, the Post reported quoting UCAnews.

November 19, 2016