ITV

Category: I&B Ministry

  • MIB scheme evaluation: Tenders invited from Chrome DM, IMRB & Nielsen etc

    NEW DELHI: Offers have been invited by the information and broadcasting ministry for the evaluation of its schemes from 11 short-listed agencies which include Chrome and IMRB.

    Tenders have been invited by 23 June 2017. The bids will be opened in the presence of authorised representatives of the bidders. The date and time of opening of the bids of the eligible bidders will be intimated separately. The ministry has made clear that it is not permissible for the addresses to transfer this invitation to any other Institution.

    A notice on the website of the ministry includes Terms of Reference (TOR) of the Schemes for Assignment, the standard form of certificates to be included in the proposal and the standard form of agreement. The evaluation of the proposals will be done by the Evaluation Committee.

    A detailed proposal including the technical bid and the financial bid need to be submitted in two separate sealed covers. The reference number of the letter and the title of the assignment should be superscribed on the envelope containing the proposal.

    The short-listed agencies are:

    National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP),
    National Council of Applied and Economic Research (NCAER),
    National Institute of Labour Economic Research and Development (NILERD),
    National Institute of Financial Management (NlFM),
    Centre for Media Studies
    Nielsen (India) Pvt. Ltd
    Sambodhi Research & Communication Pvt. Ltd.
    GFK Mode Pvt Ltd.
    Frost and Sullivan
    IMRB International, and
    Chrome Data Analytics & Media

    The schemes include:

    Broadcasting Sector:
    i) Supporting Community Radio Movement in India
    ii) Prasar Bharafi
    a) Grant in aid to Prasar Bharati
    b) Grant in aid to Prasar Bharati for Kisan Channel

    Film Sector:
    i) National Museum of Indian Cinema
    ii) Infrastructure Development Programme relating to Film Sector
    a) Upgradation, modernisation and expansion of CBFC and certification process
    b) Upgradation of Siri Fort Complex
    c) Upgradation of building infrastructure of Films Division
    d) Grant-in-Aid to FTII – Upgradation and Modemisation of FTII
    e) Infrastructure development in SRFTI
    D Development Communication & Dissemination of Filmic Content
    a) Promotion of Indian cinema through film festivals and film markets in lndia and abroad
    b) Production of films and documentaries in various Indian languages
    c) Webcasting of Film Archives
    d) Acquisition of archival films and film material
    iv) National Film Heritage Mission
    v) Anti-Piracy initiatives
    vi) Setting up a Centre of Excellence for Animation, Gaming and VFX

    Information Sector:
    i) Up-gradation of IIMC to International Standards
    Media Infrastructure Development Programme
    Development Communication & Information I)issemination Iluman Resource Development
    a) Training for Human Resource Development (excluding Prasar Bharati)
    b) International Media Programme
    c) HRD of Film MediaUnits
    d) Payment for Professional Services

  • Radio City reports higher numbers

    BENGALURU: India FM Radio company Music Broadcast Limited (MBL) or Radio City reported higher revenue and improved profits for the year ended 31 March 2017 (FY-17, current year and fiscal) as compared to the previous year. The company reported 14.8 percent higher total revenue for the current fiscal at Rs 2,758.6 million as compared to Rs 2,402.3 million in fiscal 2016. Total comprehensive income (TCI) for FY-17 increased 30.3 percent to Rs 355.5 million (13.1 percent of Total Income) from Rs 272.8 million ((11.4 percent of Total Income) in FY-16.

    MBL’s operating profit (EBIDTA inclusive of other income) in the current year increased 3 percent to Rs 956.7 million (35.2 percent of Total Income) from Rs 928.9 million (38.7 percent of Total Income) in the previous year. Profit after Tax or PAT in FY-17 increased 32.7 percent to Rs 366.6 million (13.5 percent of Total Income) from Rs 276.2 million (11.5 percent of Total Income) in FY-16.

    Total Expenditure in fiscal 2017 increased 18.5 percent to R 2,188.8 million (80.6 percent of Total Income) from Rs 1,847.2 million (76.9 percent of Total Income) in fiscal 2016. Other expense in FY-17 increased 21.3 percent to Rs 958.8 million (35.3 percent of Total Income) from Rs 790.6 million (32.9 (35.3 percent of Total Income) in FY-16.

    MBL paid 12 percent more towards license fees for FY-17 at Rs192.2 million (7.1 percent of Total Income) from Rs 171.6 million (7.1 percent of Total Income) in FY-16. Finance Costs in FY-17 declined 8 percent to Rs 190.1 million (7 percent of Total Income) from Rs 206.6 million (8.6 percent of Total Income) in FY-16. Employee Costs in the current year increased 27.3 percent to Rs 650.7 million (24 percent of Total Income) from Rs 511.2 million (21.3 percent of Total Income) in the previous year.

    The company has utilised Rs 1,475 million of its Rs 4,000 million that it received from its initial public offer (IPO) towards the objectives that it had listed in the IPO prospectus. Rs 177.3 million has been utilised for transaction costs of share issuance. The rest of the unutilised funds raised from the IPO to the extent of Rs 2,347.6 million have been placed in bank accounts as well as in bank fixed deposits.

  • Number of TV channels reaches 882 – far from target, 10 entrants in past quarter

    NEW DELHI: India now has a total of 882 functional private television channels (as on 31 May 2017) which is way short of the claim made last year that the country will have 1500 channels by the end of March this year.

    The master list issued by the Government of 882 includes nine channels whose permission has been “cancelled by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry due to security denial by Home Ministry However stay order given by Court.” The list also names two channels MTV Beats HD (earlier STAY RAW) and the Bangla AATH (earlier Channel 8) which have changed names since the last list issued as on 28 February 2017.

    While permission was accorded to a total of 1071 TV channels, the licences of 189 were cancelled. (This does not include the nine whose cases were stayed by Courts.)

    Of the 882, 391 are news channels while 491 are general entertainment channels. Of these, 773 782 channels including 369 news channels are permitted to uplink from and downlink in India. Another 01 including sixteen news channels are uplinked from overseas and permitted to downlink into India.

    In comparison, the country has only eighteen channels including six news channels which are uplinked from India but permitted to downlinked in other countries.

    Interestingly, while the total number of operational channels has fallen by ten, a total of ten new channels have entered the field in the past three months till May-end.

    The number of total channels had grown from 869 in February-end 2016 to 892 in February-end this year but has fallen by ten since then. In fact, the number had risen to 899 by the end of December 2016 when the total cancellations were 155. By January-end this year, the number had fallen to 889 of which twelve banned channels had received stay orders from Courts.

    Channels permitted from March onwards include Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV, Tunes 6 Music owned by Movements Digital India Pvt. Ltd; Surya Samachar and Surya Sagar owned by Surya Sagar Surya Processed Food Pvt. Ltd; Sony Aath owned by Bangla Entertainment Pvt. Ltd; Cartoon Netwrok HD+ (earlier Cartoon Network HD) owned by Turner International India Pvt Ltd; Public Comedy owned by Writeman Media Pvt. Ltd; Zee Kannada HD and Zee Telugu HD owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited; and Euro News owned by Catvision Ltd.

    The list of the channels permitted as on 31 May 2017 along with their area and language of operation and the names of owning companies has been placed on the ministry’s site.

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Information Technology which goes into issues relating to Information and Broadcasting had last year noted that the State Finance Commission while drafting its proposals for the 12th Plan (2012-17) had assumed that the number of permitted TV channels would rise to 1500.

    Meanwhile, the Committee was told that the present set up of Electronic Media Monitoring Centre had developed logging and recording facility for 900 TV channels and is thus fully equipped to start monitoring of all permitted channels available on public domain.

    The Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd. (BECIL) is configuring all available free to air channels in the content monitoring system of the EMMC.

  • New portal to help ease of broadcast business

    NEW DELHI: A new online ‘broadcastseva’ portal has been launched by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) as part of its initiative to provide a single point facility to various broadcast-related stakeholders and applicants for various permissions, registrations, licences, etc

    The portal broadcastseva.gov.in is in keeping with the commitment to promoting ease of doing Business, Digital India and Make in India.

    The Government said the MIB was committed to provide efficient and transparent regime for the growth and management of the Broadcast sector.

    Accordingly, the following four modules have become Live on the portal:

    i) Payment of Annual Permission Fees for TV Channels/teleports
    ii) Application for Temporary uplink of Live Events
    iii) Application for setting up of Community Radio Stations
    iv) Application for registration as Multi-System Operators

    The Ministry has invited suggestions for better utilization and improvement of the portal.

  • ‘Inappropriate content’ on TV & radio to be regulated

    MUMBAI: The Indian Government plans to establish a body to regulate the content broadcast on television and radio channels.

    In the backdrop of escalating concern of over-regulating and gagging of free speech by the Central Government, the government is now considering regulation of television and radio channels against what is being termed as ‘inappropriate content’.

    The Central Government has decided to establish a grievance redressal mechanism against objectionable content that is broadcast on TV news and entertainment channels, and FM and community radio, the Asian Age reported.

    This would mean that radio stations and television channel which were following a self-regulatory mechanism could now be held liable for complaints against their content filed by the public.

    If a member of the public has a complaint regarding certain content broadcast over radio or television, s/he can lodge a complaint with the district magistrate (DM) or the police commissioner (chairmen of the district-level monitoring committee), according to a government directive accessed by the paper.

    People are free to register their complaints online at pgportal.gov.in, or directly send their grievances to the union information and broadcasting ministry.

    In January 2017, the Supreme Court had directed the government to establish a mechanism for redressal of complaints against “contents of private TV channels and radio stations and accord due publicity to the measures to enable citizens approach it with their grievances.”

    The Programme and Advertising Code of the government prohibits the broadcasting of certain type of content, including anything that “offends and is against ‘decency’, contains criticism of friendly countries, contains attacks on religion or communities, is obscene or defamatory, encourages or incites violence, encourages superstition, denigrates women or affects the integrity of the nation.”

    It was reported in February 2017 that action was taken in 52 cases of television and two of radio in the past three years for violation of the Code. The minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore had said the action in most cases was limited to apology scrolls, or switching off channels for a brief period.

    Rathore had said the Supreme Court had, on 12 January 2017, advised the Government to formalise the complaint redressal mechanism including the period of limitation within which a complaint can be filed. The court also said the concerned statutory authority which shall adjudicate upon the same including the appellate and other redressal mechanisms, leading to a final conclusive determination.

    As and when there is a prima facie case of violation by private satellite TV channels and private FM channels regarding content aired by them, the matter is placed before the IMC for its consideration/recommendations. Thus, IMC functions in a recommendatory capacity.

    Apart from this, the Ministry had earlier issued directions to States to set up District level and State level Monitoring Committees to regulate content telecast of local TV channels carried on Cable TV Networks.

    AlsO Read :

    Press regulation not called for, says Modi

    SC to MIB: Get mechanism to deal with complaints on TV, radio shows

    Govt warning to TV channels on b’cast norms breach

    Govt admits centralised content monitoring of TV and Radio ‘non-workable’

  • Court directs ministry to investigate Baba’s shows for ‘spreading superstition’

    MUMBAI: The Allahabad High Court has directed the information and broadcasting ministry to probe allegations that the television shows of godman Nirmal Baba were spreading superstition.  

    A bench of Justice Sanjai Harkauli and Justice AP Sahi passed the fiat on a public interest litigation (PIL) moved in 2012 by K.Saran, a Lucknow-based lawyer, PTI reported.

    If the allegations against Nirmal Baba’s show were found to be true, the high court directive stated, the ministry must take action.

    The petitioner had sought action against the television channels broadcasting the programmes of Nirmal Baba under the Rule 6 of the Cable Television Network Rules 1994. The petitioner had alleged that the baba’s shows were encouraging blind faith and superstition.

    The petitioner had pleaded that the provisions of relevant law and Rules 1994 specifically provide that if such channels do not stop showing contents with superstition and blind faith, the government could revoke the permission granted for running the channel.

    In a separate case earlier, an FIR was registered against the chief managing director (CMD) and editor-in-chief of Sudarshan news channel for allegedly instigating enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion. Sudarshan TV is among the list of channels which has applied to  the ministry of information and broadcasting for approval of two more channels.

    Also Read :

    FIR registered against Sudarshan TV channel

    HC terms Care World TV ‘ban’ as illegal

    Assamese news channel Pratidin Time banned for one day once again

    Govt hands NDTV India 24-hr ban for breach of content code

  • Govt. measures to reduce patent application time to 18 months under way

    NEW DELHI: Intellectual Property Rights regime in India is undergoing a process of re-engineering with the collaboration of government and industry, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Joint Secretary Rajiv Aggarwal said today.

    Speaking at a conference on ‘IP: Innovation to Drive Business and Competitiveness’ , Aggarwal said the tool kit to protect intellectual property (IP) rights which had been launched earlier in association with FICCI has enabled the law enforcement agencies especially police to help strengthen the government machinery to handle IP rights infringement issues.

    The meet was organised by FICCI in association with DIPP, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, to commemorate the World Intellectual Property Day 2017.

    He added that this tool kit has been provided to all state police departments across the nation. He added that there was still a long way to go and with partners like FICCI the government was looking forward to step up its efforts.

    Aggarwal said recently Chandigarh was felicitated with an award for enforcement of IP in the country, which was a proof of government’s earnest intentions of fast-tracking enforcement in IP. He added that the government was taking steps, including hiring manpower, to reduce the patent application examination time to 18 months.

    Alluding to the need of embedding the culture of IP early in life, Aggarwal said a new drive had been initiated where awareness programmes on IP were being run in schools as it would also enable in taking forward the agenda of innovation.

    The conference aimed to capture the essence and increasing IP buzz in the country while providing a useful forum for various IP stakeholders to deliberate on the importance and potential of generating, protecting, enforcing, commercializing, and incorporating IP and innovation in the core of business strategies.

    The deliberations focused on how IP supported innovation by attracting investment, rewarded creators and encouraged them to develop their ideas ensuring, at the same time, that the emergent knowledge was ultimately available for the future innovators to develop further on the existing knowhow. The forum served as a platform for leading IP experts from India and abroad to discuss how to ensure that, in the days to come, IP and Innovation become the driving force for business growth and competitiveness in India as well as globally.

    FICCI IP Committee Chairperson Narendra Sabharwal, formal Deputy General of WIPO, said a baseline survey should be undertaken by the stakeholders to audit the progress in the IP space, which would help in identifying the priorities as well as the gaps in the system. He added that economic impact studies should also be carried.

    He said there was need to strengthen enforcement, especially, in the online arena and focus on appropriate commercialization of IP assets. He added that creation of human capital should be accorded priority. In recent years, Intellectual Property has spawned a new wave of technological innovations, leading to rapid economic growth and development. As businesses grow and attract competition, the need to identify, develop and leverage IP becomes even more important in order to sustain and thrive in the market.

    The industry looks forward to the further strengthening of certain key areas of India’s IP regime. Stronger IPR enforcement and greater connectivity of IP policy with existing legislations and business environments are two such critical needs. These will not only incentivise innovation, but help attract investment that will create new jobs and opportunities. Indian business is confident that as the IPR Policy implementation moves forward, the economy will grow faster towards achieving the desired growth rate. The year 2017 marked a step forward for India in its IP history with the Indian leadership adequately recognizing the crucial role that intellectual property played in fostering innovation, accelerating growth and enhancing business competitiveness.

    Also Read:

    Copyright infringement: Kross awarded injunction against ‘Pushpaka Vimana’, hearing on 12 Apr

    FICCI FRAMES: Legitimate screens, stricter laws, best practices for IPR

    IPR: DIPP allocation increased after copyright shift from HRD

    FICCI Frames ’17: Maharashtra to form IP crime unit to fight online piracy

  • House panel goads changes in film certification, notes under-utilisation of CBFC funds

    NEW DELHI: There is an urgent need to revise the guidelines/Acts/Rules relating to Cinematograph Act 1952 and Cinematograph Certification Rules 1983 in the light of Shyam Benegal Committee Report in view of the increase in number of films, short films, advertisements, documentation being submitted for certification and consequent increase in number of court cases.

    A Parliamentary Committee has said that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry should make its stand clear and initiate the process of bringing amendments in the existing Acts and Rules through involvement of stakeholders.

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology which also examines issues relating to MIB said apart from the recommendations of the Shyam Benegal Committee, the Government had not taken any decision on the suggestions of the Parliamentary Committee.

    The Committee of Experts under filmmaker Shyam Benegal had been constituted in January 2016 to evolve broad guidelines/procedures for certification of films within the ambit of provision of Cinematograph Act 1952 and Cinematograph (Certificate) Rules 1983 and it had submitted its Report in June 2016.

    The Parliamentary Committee had also submitted revised guidelines and revised Rules which are being examined by the Ministry.

    The Ministry told the Committee that the recommendations of the Committee require amendments in Acts/Rules and so require further consultation.

    The Committee has been given to understand that the workload of CBFC has increased significantly. There is also a considerable increase in the number of court cases being filed in connection with film certification. The Ministry has issued administrative sanction for two legal consultants one each in Delhi and Mumbai for handling the legal cases of CBFC.

    Meanwhile, the Committee said that the Ministry spent only Rs 20.3 million on upgradation, modernisation and expansion of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and Certification Process up to 31 January 2017 out of a total revised amount of Rs 35.1 million against the budget amount of Rs 40 million.

    With regard to activities undertaken during 2016-17, the Ministry said the work of online certification has been awarded with pre-determined milestone set to be completed by March 2017 and the entire fund available was likely to be utilized by March, 2017.

  • National Cine Museum only if it attracts aficionados: House panel

    NEW DELHI: Noting that the National Museum of Indian Cinema in Mumbai is expected to be completed by July this year, a Parliament Committee wants the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to get a response and feedback of the industry as to how far it is successful in attracting film fraternity and also those interested in films, through exhibitions, workshops, seminars and interactive sessions.

    The Museum has been built in the premises of the Films Division complex on C D Deshmukh (Peddar) Road.

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology which also examines issues relating to MIB noted that an amount of Rs 286.9 million had been allocated under the Scheme of the Museum which was increased to Rs 343.9 million at revised estimate stage but the Ministry incurred an expenditure of Rs 286.9 million.

    The Committee was informed that the project is near completion and the Ministry was hopeful of utilizing the balance funds during the current financial year 2016-17.

    The budget for the year 2017-18 under the Scheme has been reduced as the construction work has already been completed and curation is underway.

    A historical building Gulshan Mahal has been renovated in the first phase as part of the National Museum project and the second phase of the Museum consisting of two Cinema Halls, Museum office, Exhibition spaces and Food Court are coming up in the new building block.

    When operational, the NMIC will provide a store house of information and help film makers, film students, enthusiasts and critics to know and evaluate the development of cinema as the medium of artistic expression.

    Also Read :

    Avoid ‘slippages’ of film sector budget utilisation, House panel recommends

    DD invites short films on Govt schemes, ‘DAVP producers’ preferred
     

  • Avoid ‘slippages’ of film sector budget utilisation, House panel recommends

    NEW DELHI: While noting the ‘slippages which could have been avoided’, a Parliamentary Committee has taking serious note of the continuous reduction in expenditure in the film sector despite reasonable budgetary allocations.

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology which also examines issues relating to Information and Broadcasting Ministry asked the Ministry to be “more cautious and take necessary corrective steps so that there are no cost and time over run of Schemes in the film sector”.

    A sum of just Rs 835.6 million out of a reduced revised estimate of Rs 1.3439 billion was utilized in the film sector in 2016-17 because of various reasons including among other reasons the Request for Proposal (RFP) and stakeholder consultation process in the National Film Heritage Mission has resulted in under utilization of funds.

    The Committee was told that the original budget estimate was Rs 1.4148 billion against the proposed Rs 2.4512 billion for the film sector.

    For the shortfall in expenditure, the Ministry also blamed delays in late approval and prolonged inter-ministerial consultations and RFP for selection of private partners in setting up of National Centre of Excellence for Animation, Gaming and Special Effects.

    The Ministry attributed delay in raising Bills for the International Film Festival of Goa and conducting of major film festival during the last quarter to be some of the reasons for under utilization of funds.
     
    The Committee noted that the allocation under film sector has been enhanced from Rs 1.3439 billion at revised estimate stage in 2016-17 to Rs 2.07 billion at budget stage for the year 2017-18.

    The enhanced allocation is to be utilized in respect of Scheme of NFHM where RFP for preventive conservation of film reels, digitization of films, 2K/4K picture and sound restoration of landmark feature films and short films etc are to be floated during 2017-18.

    While expressing satisfaction that the film sector has got an enhanced allocation this year, the Committee said the Ministry should take advantage and give more focused attention to Schemes under this sector and concerted efforts be made for optimum utilization of funds allocated for the year 2017-18.

    Also Read :

    Film piracy: Govt has no ‘losses’ figure, industry estimates Rs 180 bn a yr

    No middlemen in film certification process anymore

    Films Division shorts in cinema halls: Centre mulling revival