ITV

Category: I&B Ministry

  • Govt admits Pakistan TV signals available in border areas

    Govt admits Pakistan TV signals available in border areas

    NEW DELHI: Even as the government has been claiming for several years that it is giving priority to strengthen its communication towers on the borders to strengthen its signals, the Home Ministry and Prasar Bharati have admitted that the signals/coverage of Pakistan TV is available in the bordering districts of the country.

     

    However, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar told Parliament that ‘no complaints have been received during the last three years regarding telecast of Pakistan TV in the bordering districts of the country.’

     

    He said strengthening of TV coverage of Doordarshan to counter the anti-India propaganda along border areas is an ongoing process. Doordarshan has been assigning priority for expansion of its coverage in the border areas of the country in various expansion plans formulated from time to time. Special packages for expansion and improvement of Doordarshan services in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) have also been implemented in the past.

     

    At present, Prasar Bharati has informed that 112 TV transmitters of varying power are functioning in the districts near the Pakistan border.

    Javadekar said that to further strengthen TV coverage in J&K, a scheme was approved in the 11th Plan which includes projects of establishment of five high power TV transmitters in J&K (Kashmir region- 1; Jammu region-1; Ladakh region-1 besides 2 high power transmitters at Rajouri).

     

    These projects are expected to be completed in phases, in about two years, he added. 

     

    Meanwhile, DD sources told indiantelevision.com that all areas uncovered by terrestrial transmitters in border areas along with the rest of the country have been provided with multichannel television coverage through Doordarshan’s free-to-air direct-to-home platform Free Dish which can be received anywhere in the country with small sized dish receiver units.

     

    However, All India Radio and DD terrestrial coverage in the border areas in Jammu and Kashmir is being strengthened with an outlay of Rs 1 billion in the 11th Plan.

      

    A total of 273 TV transmitters of varying power are presently functioning in the border areas all over the country, DD sources told indiantelevision.com

  • Three complaints of TV shows promoting superstition & blind belief registered in 2013-2014

    Three complaints of TV shows promoting superstition & blind belief registered in 2013-2014

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has said there were only three complaints of television channels promoting superstition and blind belief in 2013 and 2014.

     

    He told Parliament that the existing provisions contained in the Programme and Advertisement Codes and existing mechanism are considered adequate to regulate content.  

     

    However, advisories were issued in November 2011 and June last year to all channels not to promote such programmes.

     

    The complaints on which warnings were issued include: ‘Ladkiyon Ka Gumnaam Bodyguard’ which promoted superstition and blind belief on Bansal News last year and ‘Rahasya’ for promoting superstition and blind belief on India News earlier this year.

     

    An advisory was issued following telecast of ‘Aaj No Mahima, Desh Ni Gruh Dasha’ showing superstition and blind belief on Sandesh News (Transmedia News) in June last year.

     

    Javadekar said the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and the Rules framed thereunder do not provide for any pre-censorship of such programmes.

     

    However, programmes telecast on such TV channels are required to conform to the Programme Code prescribed under Rules 6 of Cable Television Network Rules 1994. Specifically, Rule 6 (1) (j) of the Programme Code provides that no programme should be carried in the Cable Service which encourages superstition and blind-belief.

     

    Appropriate action is taken against the channel, if violation of the Programme Code is established. 

  • Over 100 additional MSOs get 10 year licences, 16 fail to get clearance

    Over 100 additional MSOs get 10 year licences, 16 fail to get clearance

    NEW DELHI: A total of 104 multi-system operators (MSOs) all over the country have been granted permanent registration for 10 years to operate the digital addressable system while the licences of 16 MSOs have been cancelled.

     

    The MSOs in both the approved and the cancelled list had been given provisional permission earlier.

     

    Those who have got permission include IndusInd Media and Communications, Hathway Cable & Datacom, Manthan Broadband, Den Network, Home Cable, Digicable Network, Delhi Distribution Company and Asianet Satellite Communications.

     

    Kolkata based MSO Digicable Communications has been denied permission after the break-up of the joint venture with Mumbai based Digicable Networks, which has received permission for Greater Mumbai, National Capital Territory of Delhi and Greater Kolkata.

     

    Digicable Network India managing director & CEO Jagjit Singh Kohli said that they would ask for a stay on MIB’s decision to cancel the licence in the court. 

     

    Other cancelled permissions include Skynet Digital Services, Jai Maa Vaishno Entertainment, Intermedia Cable Communications, Supersonic Networks and Godfather Communications.

       

    Industry sources said that the approved list was in addition to the 140 whose names had been approved in March last year.

     

    The Ministry website mib.nic.in has added information about the approved MSOs, listing the areas for which they have been given permission.

     

    The website also contains the reasons in brief for the denial of permission to those which have failed to get the licences. In most cases, it is due to failure to get clearance from the Home Ministry.

     

    The new list is the outcome of Open Houses held by the Ministry with various MSOs, while some have come as a result of court cases. 

  • Over 1400 designs received from general public for DAVP ads: Javadekar

    Over 1400 designs received from general public for DAVP ads: Javadekar

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that the government has received 1470 designs from the general public for advertisements to be issued by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP).

     

    The Minister said in an informal chat that the response of the public came after the Ministry sought public participation on 15 July. Earlier, all the advertisements were designed by the DAVP.

     

    He said the top advertisements will be awarded by the Ministry with cash awards, but did not disclose the amount.

     

    He also said that this will be an ongoing process but the theme will be given by the DAVP or the Ministry. 

  • Revised guideline for rational pricing of satellite transponders soon, says Govt

    Revised guideline for rational pricing of satellite transponders soon, says Govt

    NEW DELHI: The government is processing a revised policy guideline for allocation and pricing of transponders based on the review and approval of INSAT Co-ordination Committee (ICC) and Space Commission.

     

    Parliament was told on 23 July by Department of Space Minister in charge Jitendra Singh that the new guideline envisages a rational classification structure for users such as strategic, government including societal, not-for-profit PSUs and commercial to form a basis for allocation and pricing of transponders. 

    At present, there are 12 INSAT/GSAT satellites in orbit, out of which 10 are communication satellites and two are meteorological satellites. In INSAT/GSAT satellite system there are 41 government users and 59 non-government users are utilising the capacity in C band, extended C band and Ku band to the extent of 152 transponders (36 MHz equivalent each). 

    At present, a uniform pricing policy is implemented for all categories of users. However, a multi-pricing policy for transponders is under the consideration of the government as INSAT systems transponders are utilised for non-profit purposes viz. governmental, societal, strategic as well as for commercial purposes. 

  • No ideological apartheid or hate in invitations to media by Prasar Bharati: Javadekar

    No ideological apartheid or hate in invitations to media by Prasar Bharati: Javadekar

    NEW DELHI: The Government has emphasised that Prasar Bharati is ‘not overshadowed by ideological apartheid or hate.’

     

    Responding to a question, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said recently that Prasar Bharati carries out the public broadcasting services in a fair and objective manner and does not discriminate on the basis of ideologies.

     

    He said in Parliament recently that Prasar Bharati has informed the Ministry that no journalist has been decommissioned or debarred by Doordarshan to curtail their independence.

     

    Prasar Bharati has also said journalists are invited to various programmes according to the requirement of the subject, without any discrimination.

     

     The Minister made it clear that Prasar Bharati was a statutory autonomous body set up by an Act of Parliament – the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act 1990 – and “it is not a state run broadcasting network.”

  • Govt denies any plans to reduce DAVP allocations

    Govt denies any plans to reduce DAVP allocations

    NEW DELHI: The Government has denied that there is any move to drastically cut the budget of the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP).

    In fact, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has said that the publicity budget of DAVP has shown an increasing trend since 2009-10 onwards.

    While the actual plan and non-plan DAVP expenditure for 2010-11 was Rs 90.92 crore, it was Rs 127.72 crore in 2011-12, Rs 139.75 crore in 2012-13, and Rs 222.47 crore for 2013-14.  

    The allocation of budget for advertisement and publicity of the schemes/programmes of an individual Ministry/Department is allotted by Planning Commission and Ministry of Finance, the Minister told Parliament.

    Therefore, Javadekar said this Ministry cannot put any embargo on Ministries / Departments /Autonomous Bodies / Constitutional Bodies, etc. resorting to advertising. 

    In response to another question, the Minister said the money spent on electronic media and print media during 2013-14 was Rs 500.35 crore and Rs 446.68 crore, respectively. During 2012-13, the money spent on electronic media and print media was Rs 198.30 crore and Rs 404.38 crore, respectively.
  • Two open house meetings every month to speed channel licence clearance

    Two open house meetings every month to speed channel licence clearance

    NEW DELHI: The new government at the centre certainly seems to be taking the issue of channel licence clearance very seriously. To clear the long list of pending applications for new TV channels, the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has decided to hold open house meeting with stakeholders twice a month, as against the earlier practice of one meeting a month.

     

    The next meeting is slated for 18 July in Shastri Bhavan, the main office of the Ministry. Stakeholders have been asked to send, in advance, the information they require, so that these can be supplied to them at the meeting.

     

    It is understood that almost a hundred applications are pending for clearance at various stages either with the I&B Ministry, Home Ministry or the Department of Telecom.

     

    Furthermore, the coming into force of the code of conduct in April this year prevented clearance of any new channels and therefore the number of channels which was 795 at the end of May remained the same at the end of June.

     

    A large number of new applications including those by Media Content and Communications Services (MCCS) that runs the ABP group of channels, Star India for its second Tamil channel, and Epic TV are pending.

     

    The only change was that the number of news and current affairs channels went up by two to 395 and the number of non news and current affairs channels came down by the same number to 400.

     

    The first four months of 2014 saw licences being given to nine channels including AXN HD and SET HD.

     

    The Ministry also placed on its website the names of the companies which own these channels, the language, and the date when permission was granted. 

  • Over Rs 400 crore spent on Bharat Nirman campaign in three years

    Over Rs 400 crore spent on Bharat Nirman campaign in three years

    NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) spent a total amount of Rs 411.91 crore between 2011-12 and 2014-15 through the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to publicise Bharat Nirmal programmes.

     

    The amount spent in 2014-15 was only Rs 32.23 crore as against Rs 188.88 crore for the previous year. The amount spent in 2011-12 was Rs 87.78 crore and that in 2012-13 was Rs 103.02 crore.

     

    I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar told the Lok Sabha today that there was no plan at present to undertake any campaign under the umbrella of Bharat Nirman.

     

    The promotion through I&B Ministry was part of the media outreach strategy under the plan sub-scheme titled “People’s Empowerment through Development Communication Conception and Dissemination” by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity.

     

    While a sum of Rs 48 crore was spent covering 6444 newspapers and Rs 96.19 crore was spent on 125 television channels in 2013-14, no campaign was launched in 2014-15 as the Model Conduct had come into force in view of the General Elections in May.

     

    I&B Ministry sources said that the amount of Rs 32.23 crore for 2014-15 related to old bills.

  • Centre ready to accept proposals from states to encourage film tourism

    Centre ready to accept proposals from states to encourage film tourism

    NEW DELHI: A proposal of the Chhattisgarh Government, ‘Producing Tourism Documentary Film and TV Commercials’, has been prioritised by the Tourism Ministry for grant of Central Financial Assistance (CFA) during the financial year 2014-15. 

     

    Culture and Tourism Minister Shripad Yesso Naik told Parliament that the Ministry has recognised films as a powerful tool for promotion of tourism destinations and locations and has taken several steps to promote Film Tourism as an important Niche Tourism product. 

     

    The Ministry formulated guidelines for extending financial support to various State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations, for promotion of Film Tourism.

     

    Under these guidelines, Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of Rs 2 lakh per film can be extended for a maximum of five films which include Feature Films, Documentaries, Tele-films and Television Serials during each financial year to every State Government/UT Administration. The CFA is granted for meeting the costs of space hiring/filming charges, facilitation fee etc. payable by the Filming Unit to the State Governments, UT Administrations, Government agencies etc.

     

    The films for CFA are selected based on the potential exposure they can provide for promotion of tourism destinations and locations. These guidelines have been circulated to all State Governments/UT Administrations and have been uploaded on the official website of the Ministry of Tourism.

    The Information and Broadcasting and the Tourism Ministries had signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2012 to establish India as a preferred filming destination and promote Film Tourism. The aim is to promote Cinema of India as a sub brand of “Incredible India” at various international film festivals and markets abroad, develop synergy between tourism and the film industry and provide a platform for enabling partnerships between the Indian and global film industry. 

     

    The Ministries jointly participated in the Cannes Film Festival and Market, International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Goa and Film Bazaar, Goa in 2013-14. 

    In January 2012, the then Tourism Minister wrote to the Chief Ministers of various State Governments/Administrators of various UT Administrations to recognise the potential of Film Tourism and constitute special bodies/cells to facilitate filming in the States/Union Territories. 

    The Tourism Ministry instituted a National Tourism Award in 2012, “Most Film Promotion Friendly State/UT”, to encourage the State Governments and Union Territories to facilitate filming in their State/UT.