Category: I&B Ministry

  • MIB secy Amit Khare says national broadcast policy in the works

    MIB secy Amit Khare says national broadcast policy in the works

    MUMBAI: MIB Secretary Amit Khare did some plain talking here while addressing industry and said bowing to needs of the stakeholders, a national broadcast policy is in the offing.

    “We have thought of having a national broadcast policy. The draft is being prepared and we are working with FICCI and other stakeholders so that Indians can have that national broadcast policy,” Khare said at a session on the opening day of the 20th edition of FICCI Frames.

    The government official did not reveal much details, but said the policy could be in place within a few years.

    He also spoke of a strategic paper that is being prepared for the film and entertainment industry which will focus on issues like what incentives should be given by the central or the state government and the type of regulatory changes which are required for improving the screen density.

    “The way we develop, particularly in India or in other Commonwealth countries, it was platform-wise. We have different regulations for print, for online, for films and for broadcasts. But now with the technological change and the convergence that has taken place, there is a need to rethink, there is a need to beat this challenge and also which is a great opportunity in terms of the content which is viewed by the customer,” he commented while talking about the importance of change in technology for the sector.

    The  secretary also spoke about the importance of the conversations that will take place during the FICCI Frames. According to him, it will be very helpful for the government to know the views of the private sector, the stakeholders and then taking a considerate view about regulations or the type of policies that the authority wishes to have for this sector in 2025 or 2030.

  • MIB grants 4 TV channel licences to ABP News Network

    MIB grants 4 TV channel licences to ABP News Network

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has given ABP News Network four new TV channel licences in the month of February. The company has received uplinking and downlinking licences under the names ABP Andhra, ABP Ganga, ABP Kannada and ABP Tamil.

    One of the licences could be used to launch an Uttar Pradesh centric news channel that the company is planning to launch. The company also operates a Punjabi digital news channel ABP Sanjha, which was then launched as ABP Asmita in 2016. ABP News Network currently owns and operates four news channels ABP News (Hindi), ABP Majha (Marathi), ABP Ananda (Bengali) and ABP Asmita (Gujarati).

    Recently, the news broadcaster had converted its pay channels to free to air (FTA) under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) new regulatory framework. ABP Ananda and ABP Majha went FTA from 8 February.

    In the month of January and February, MIB gave licenses to other six new channels. The channels were Skystar Bangla, Skystar Telugu, PTC Music, PTC Punjabi, PTC Simran and Zee Classic. All the six channels are under non-news category.

    G-Next Media got the permission for uplinking and downlinking PTC Music, PTC Punjabi and PTC Simran on Intelsat-20 satellite in Punjabi, Hindi, and English on 7 February 2019.

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises got the permission for uplinking and downlinking Zee Classic on Asiasat-7 in Punjabi, Hindi and all regional languages on 13 February 2019. Skystar Entertainment Pvt Ltd got the permission for uplinking and downlinking Skystar Bangla and Skystar Telugu on Intelsat-20 in Hindi, English, all India scheduled languages and world language on 15 January 2019.

  • Tiranga TV criticises govt move to restrict freedom of speech of TV content

    Tiranga TV criticises govt move to restrict freedom of speech of TV content

    MUMBAI: Tiranga TV has criticised the government’s move to censure it, saying it is unjustified. Recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) sent a notice to newly launched news channel Tiranga TV regarding telecast of a media briefing of Pakistan army spokesperson major general Asif Ghafoor on the Pulwama terror attack.

    “We have made it clear in our reply that we strongly condemn the attack on our forces and have in unequivocal term criticised Pakistan for patronising terrorism. However, we feel, by issuing the show cause notices to channels for airing the press briefing of Pakistani army spokesperson, the government once again is sitting in judgement upon content of free speech, expressed through the medium of television broadcast,” Veecon Media and Broadcasting Ltd president Deepak Choudhry commented in a reply to the notice.

    After the telecast, MIB warned Tiranga TV for violating the programming code of the Cable TV Networks Act by telecasting prohibitive content. The ministry also laid the logic that for the entire duration, there was no clarification or intervention from the channel on the correctness of the claims being made.

    As per reports, 12 other channels have also received such notices including ABP News, Surya Samachar, Zee Hindustan, TOTAL TV, ABP Majha, News18 Lokmat, Jai Maharashtra, News18 Gujarati, News24, News Nation, Sandesh News and News18 India.

    In a 14 February directive, the MIB warned all private TV channels to strictly adhere to programming guidelines, which came in the wake of the J&K attack. Channels were told not to show content that is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes and/or contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation and ensure that no such content is telecast which is violative of the codes. This was even passed around to channels by NBA, NBSA and IBF.

    The MIB said that Tiranga TV is in violation of the code and also this advisory by telecasting the news piece. Tiranga TV is backed by Congress leader Kapil Sibal and was recently given the permission by the Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal to change its name from Harvest TV to Tiranga TV.

  • MIB gives licences to 6 new channels

    MIB gives licences to 6 new channels

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) gave licenses to six new channels in the month of January and February. The channels are Skystar Bangla, Skystar Telugu, PTC Music, PTC Punjabi, PTC Simran and Zee Classic. All the six channels are under non-news category.

    G-Next Media got the permission for uplinking and downlinking PTC Music, PTC Punjabi and PTC Simran on Intelsat-20 satellite in Punjabi, Hindi and English on 7 February 2019.

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises got the permission for uplinking and downlinking Zee Classic on Asiasat-7 in Punjabi, Hindi and all regional languages on 13 February 2019.

    Skystar Entertainment Pvt Ltd got the permission for uplinking and downlinking Skystar Bangla and Skystar Telugu on Intelsat-20 in Hindi, English, all India scheduled languages and world language on 15 January 2019.

    The number of private satellite TV channels having valid permission in India stands at 885 as on 21 February 2019. 505 channels are non-news and the remaining 380 are news channels.
    In December 2018, MIB gave permission to five channels.

  • Govt orders private TV channels to strictly follow terror attack coverage guidelines

    Govt orders private TV channels to strictly follow terror attack coverage guidelines

    MUMBAI: In the wake of the recent terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir, the government has issued an advisory to private TV channels to adhere to the guidelines that are issued for the coverage of terror attacks.

    A release from the Press Information Bureau asks channels to broadcast content that strictly adheres to the Programme and Advertising Code as prescribed in the Cable Television Networks (Regulations) Act, 1995 and its rules.

    TV Channels are advised to be particularly cautious with regard to any content which:

    (i)     is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti national attitudes: and /or

    (ii)    contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation: and ensure that no such content is telecast which is violative of these Codes.

  • CCEA approves “Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development” scheme of Prasar Bharti

    CCEA approves “Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development” scheme of Prasar Bharti

    MUMBAI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today gave its approval to the proposal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) regarding PrasarBharati's"Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development" scheme at a cost of Rs.1054.52 crore for 3 years from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

    Out of Rs. 1054.52 Crore, an amount of Rs. 435.04 Crore is approved for the continuing schemes of All India Radio and an amount of Rs 619.48 Crore is approved for the schemes of Doordarshan. The continuing schemes of AIR and Doordarshan are at different stages of implementation and are scheduled to be completed in phases.

    The cabinet also approved the launch of DD Arun Prabha Channel from Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh to fulfil the aspirations of people of North East Region. In addition to this, 1,50,000 DTH sets have been approved for distribution in different states in the country which will help people in the border, remote, tribal and LWE areas to watch Doordarshan's DTH programmes.

    Provisions have been kept for modernisation of existing equipment/facilities in studios which are essential to sustain the ongoing activities and also for High Definition Television (HDTV) transmitters at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Setting up of Digital Terrestrial Transmitters (DTTs) at 19 locations and Digitization of Studios at 39 locations, DSNG (Digital Satellite News Gathering) Vans at 15 locations and Upgradation of Earth Stations at 12 locations have also been approved.

    For All India Radio, the Scheme provides for FM expansion at 206 places, digitalisation of studios at 127 places are envisaged. FM expansion programme will benefit 13 per cent additional population of the country to listen the AIR programmes. Besides 10 KW FM transmitters would be set up along Indo-Nepal Border while 10KW FM transmitters would be set up in J&K Border. These will significantly improve the Radio and TV coverage along the border areas.

  • Sahara’s Tamil news channel Bharat Today awaits MIB nod

    Sahara’s Tamil news channel Bharat Today awaits MIB nod

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB)published the status of application for new channels in regional languages on 5 February 2019. In the last two quarters of 2018, six companies applied for 10 regional channels in total.

    Out of the 10 channels, four are from Eenadu Television, two are from LCGC Broadcasting and one each from Asianet News Network, Sidharth Broadcast, Sahara Television and Mavis Satcom.

    All the four channels of Eenadu Broadcasting i.e. ETV Life HD, ETV Cinema HD, ETV Abhiruchi HD, ETV Plus HD, were granted permission from the MIB.

    Out of the remaining six channels, five are news channels and a single non-news channel. All these six channels are under-consideration.

    Sahara Television, which is undergoing financial turbulence, has also applied for a Telugu news channel, Bharat Today, on 26 December 2018.

    Mavis Satcom has also put in an application for a Tamil news channel named Jaya TV on 2 January 2019, which is still under consideration.

    Jesus Entertainment which opted for a regional channel named Yahova TV on 8 August 2016 in Tamil language is also under consideration.

    In a recent update on 4 February, the MIB issued a notice informing all broadcasters that the online module for submitting applications for new TV channels is now operational on web portal www.broadcastseva.gov.in.

    It also stated that henceforth, all such applications for new TV channels should be made through online mode only and no application should be sent through offline mode. BroadcastSeva is the effort of MIB to provide efficient and transparent regime for the growth and management of the Broadcast Sector. After submitting the online application the broadcasters are required to submit some documents through offline mode. 

  • MIB makes online mode mandatory for new channel applications

    MIB makes online mode mandatory for new channel applications

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a notice informing all broadcasters that the online module for submitting applications for new TV channels is now operational on web portal www.broadcastseva.gov.in dated 4 February 2019.

    It also stated that henceforth, all such applications for new TV channels should be made through online mode only and no application should be sent through offline mode.

    BroadcastSeva is the effort of MIB to provide efficient and transparent regime for the growth and management of the Broadcast Sector. It provides a single point facility to the various stakeholders and applicants to make their applications for various permission, registrations, licences etc.

    After submitting the online application the broadcasters are required to submit some documents through offline mode. The documents are different for a company already holding channel/teleport permission and a new company.

  • MIB hikes ad rates for private TV channels

    MIB hikes ad rates for private TV channels

    MUMBAI: Just a few weeks ahead of election date announcements, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken a decision to revise the advertisement rates offered by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) to private TV channels.

    The ministry noted in a statement, “The revised rates have been announced on the basis of a review committee constituted by the ministry which submitted its report on 1 January 2019.”

    “The revision would lead to an increase in rates of around 11 per cent over the rates of 2017 in respect of most of the private TV channels while it could be of a higher percentage for some others, as per their reach and TV ratings.”

    The ministry also announced that differential rate structures for news and non-news channels will be offered, depending upon their overall reach in the country. “The decision will also make it easier for TV channels to be empanelled with BOC in order to take advantage of the higher rates,” it noted.

  • MIB directs TV channels to run scroller against objectionable ads

    MIB directs TV channels to run scroller against objectionable ads

    MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed all TV channels to support self-regulation for grievance against objectionable ads. In a recently released advisory, the ministry has asked channels to run a scroller against offensive content to create mass awareness.

    The scroller will ask the viewers to complain against objectionable advertisements to the Advertising Standards Council of lndia (ASCI) via a dedicated WhatsApp number and email id.

    The advisory reads, “Attention of TV channels is invited to Rule 7(9) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 which states that ‘No advertisement which violates the code for self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by the Advertising Standards Council of lndia (ASCI), Mumbai for public exhibition in lndia, from time to time shall be carried in the cable service.’”

    The ministry has also directed all broadcasters to ensure that all programmes and advertisements being telecast on TV channels and being transmitted/ retransmitted through the cable TV network adhere to the Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.