ITV

Category: I&B Ministry

  • FM auction: Govt nets Rs 2 bn, ENIL wins 21 channels

    MUMBAI: A cumulative provisional Rs 2,002.4 million was earned against the aggregate reserve price of about Rs 9,159.1 million from e-auction of 66 FM channels in 48 cities in the second batch of Phase III.

    According to an announcement of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on 27 February, 266 FM channels had been shortlisted but only 66 channels made it to the winning list. ENIL (Entertainment Network India Limited) won the maximum number with 21 channels in different cities and bid for total of Rs 480.9 million.

    Interestingly, only two channels received bids of more than Rs 100 million as compared to 12 channels in the first batch. Kal Radio Ltd’s Hyderabad station bid a winning price is Rs 23,43,48,266 and South Asia FM Ltd’s Dehradun station had a winning price of Rs 15,61,00,590.

    Sambhaav Media Ltd won two stations in Jammu and Kashmir for Rs 5,00,000 each at Kathua and Leh. JCL India Ltd’s bagged stations in Kargil and Leh for Rs 5,00,000 each. South Asia FM Ltd’s won a station at Leh with Rs 5,00,000.

    Stations in four north eastern cities were bagged in the e-auction. Of these, three went to Purvy Broadcast Pvt Ltd: Aizwal for Rs 20,09,444, Dhubri for Rs 5,00,000, and Itanagar for Rs 43,72,914. Agartala went to South Asia FM Ltd for Rs 70,71,529.

    Read the full story here:

    Govt gets over Rs two billion from 66 FM stations in second batch Phase III

     

     

  • Radio City IPO to open on 6 March

    BENGALURU: The Initial Public Offering of (IPO) of shares of Music Broadcast Limited (MBL), the company that has the Radio City network will commence of 6 March 2017. Besides Radio City the company has a sales alliance with Suno Lemon 91.9 FM and Friends 91.9 FM in Kolkata and 40 web stations in eight languages. The company has grown its presence from four cities in 2001 to 37 cities as of mid-February this year. Under the Phase III Policy, MBL acquired 11 additional radio stations, of which 9 are already operational.

    The board of MBL had informed the stock exchanges through its parent and listed company Jagran Prakashan Limited (JPL) about the decision to hold the IPO on 24 November 2016. MBL had a turnover of Rs 240 crores in fiscal 2016 and a net worth if Rs 99.54 crore as per a JPL filing in November 2016.

    According to an MBL filing at the bourses, the book building IPO comprises of equity shares of face value of Rs 10 each for cash at a premium consisting of a fresh issue of up to Rs 400 crore and an offer for sale up to 2,658,518 equity shares by the selling shareholders .The offer will close on Wednesday, 8 March 2017. The Price Band for the Offer is fixed from Rs 324 to Rs 333 per equity share. The sole Book Running Lead Manager to the offer is ICICI Securities Limited. The equity shares are proposed to be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

    MBL will be the second radio operator to list on the bourses after Times Group-controlled Entertainment Network India Ltd, which runs Radio Mirchi. 

    Also Read:

    Music Broadcast plans IPO; to make buys

    FM Radio revenues witness seasonal slump in Q4-16, Q1-17

  • MSO renewals and cancellations list released

    MUMBAI: The MIB has granted registration to 230 multi-system operators (MSOs) for ten years as on 13 February, 2017, to operate digital addressable system (DAS). As per MIB order no. 2/108/2015-DAS dated 27 January, 2017, all these registered MSOs can operate anywhere in India. 

    The MIB has also released a list of 45 multi-system operators (MSO) the registration of which to operate DAS has been cancelled (as on 13 February, 2017) or their pending cases have been closed. 

    Of the MSOs listed on the MIB site, permission to one MSO has been restored, and the order for closure of two has been withdrawn. 

    For Kal Cables Pvt Ltd (Chennai),  the MIB order of cancellation of MSO registration has been withdrawn and provisional registration granted on 13 January 2017. For S.S.R. Cable Network (Adilabad, Telangana), the order for closure of application has been withdrawn and provisional registration was issued on 19 January 2017.

    For Nakerkal Communications, the MIB order for closure of application has also been withdrawn and the provisional registration was issued on 10 January 2017.

    On 9 January, www.indiantelevision.com had reported that the registration of MSOs remained slow with 71 provisional clearances in December 2016 and up to 4 January 2017 taking the total to 1130 despite the fact that less than a month is left for Phase III analogue switch-off and two months before the final phase of digital addressable system DAS deadline gets over.

    The number of permanent MSOs (with 10-year licences) remained static at 229, while the number of cancellations remained at 44 as intimated on 30 November 2016. Of the 71 entrants, 21 were registered in the first four days of January 2017.

    With the home ministry directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not communicated in writing to the MIB, confusion prevailed over slowing down of the registration processes of MSOs for delivering services in DAS areas. The Government already deferred to 31 January 2017 the sunset date for Phase III (from 31 December 2015) and 31 March 2917 for Phase IV (from 31 December 2016).

    The Ministry on 8 July 2016 issued an advisory to the Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs Governments, the District Collectors and the Multi System Operators (MSOs)/ Local Cable Operators (LCOs) to ensure that no unpermitted TV channel, are transmitted/ re-transmitted in the Cable Networks and to take action against the defaulter under the provisions of the Cable Television Networks Act 1995 to stop transmission of these channels.

    Click here for list of 230 MSOs

    Click here for list of MSOs registration of which has been cancelled (or cases closed)

    Also Read:

    MSO registrations remain slow even as DAS deadlines approach

    Report illegal TV channels, Govt alerted

  • MIB report: 50% digital STBs seeded during DAS’ first three phases

    NEW DELHI: If the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is to be believed, then first three phases of on going rollout of digital addressable system have already accounted for 50 per cent of digitisation as out of targeted 140 million set-top-box requirement, 70 million have been installed. Evolving ground realities may be different, however.

    The catch in the MIB’s annual report for 2016-17, put on the ministry’s website Thursday, is that the government has taken the Census 2011 as the base for calculating the total number of TV households in India, which has been pegged at 117 million. Adding an incremental 20 per cent for multiple TV homes and TV sets at offices and other places like restaurants, etc, MIB states total requirement for boxes was 140 million — a figure that may be different from ground realities.

    “Total STBs required by adding 20 per cent provision for multiple TV (sets) in houses and TVs in offices/shops is 14 crore (140 million),” MIB’s annual report says, while adding that in digitisation’s first three out of the total four phases, “7 crore (70 million) STBs have already been installed.”

    However, in an evolving world while BARC’s latest data, unveiled February 2017, estimates the Indian TV households at 183 million, the MIB annual report itself quotes, at another place, a FICCI-KPMG report of 2016 as India being “the world’s second largest TV market after China” having “175 million TV households…”

    The MIB report goes on elaborate that the first two phases of digitisation achieved 30 million seeding of boxes, while estimating the requirement for boxes for ongoing Phase IV, which comprises small towns and villages in rural hinterlands of India, to be 70 million.

    But amidst these confounding and confusing numbers being bandied around by the government, it admits that digitisation, pushed by MIB and regulator TRAI since 2012, has increased tax collections both for the State and the Central governments.

    Pointing out that cable TV digitisation has brought transparency in the whole eco-system, making it difficult for MSOs and LCOs to under-declare subscriber base and evade taxes, the MIB report highlights, entertainment tax collection in states increased from Rs. 157 crore (Rs. 1570 million)  in 2012-13 to Rs. 358 crore (Rs. 3580 million) in 2015-16.

    Further, the government also admits that digital cable TV networks were vital infrastructure for penetration of broadband through which e-government services could be deployed. Listing out the benefits of digitisation, the MIB report says, “(Though) no formal impact assessment of the cable TV digitisation has been carried out, data has been collected from different stakeholders, which indicates…major benefits from digitisation have started accruing.”

    The benefits are not restricted to government in the form of tax revenues, but also increased choice to consumers, including HD channels. “From the data received from the MSOs, it is observed that in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, on an average, 300 SD and 20 HD channels are being carried by each MSO. Subscribers have choice to choose from these large numbers of channels…not possible in an analog regime,” MIB clarifies.

    Action Taken Report on Complaints Against TV Channels

    During the period 1 April 2016 to 21 December 2016, MIB issued advisories, warnings and orders to TV channels on receiving complaints from various sections of the population.

    There was one general advisory given to news &current affairs TV channels regarding telecast of incidents related to Cauvery water dispute with due caution and restraint; nine specific advisories to adhere to the Programme & Advertising Codes; four warnings directing the TV channel to strictly comply with programme and advertising norms and three orders to TV channels to go off air for varying number of days.

    According to the MIB, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), as part of its self-regulation mechanism, has formulated a Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards. The News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) received and considered 1,451 complaints from 2014 to July, 2016 and passed 26 orders. It also issued one guideline and nine advisories.

    The Broadcast Content Complaints Council (BCCC), according to MIB, received 16,257 complaints from 16 April, 2014 to 20th June, 2016. During the period April, 2015 to July, 2016 industry-formed advertising regulator ASCI received and considered 2,020 complaints against advertisements, upholding 1,271 of them.

    Transponder Capacity Constraints

    While enumerating the highlights, achievements and also hurdles in the Indian broadcast and cable sector, MIB holds out some hope for all those Indian users of  satellite services that capacity crunch could get addressed

    “There is some constraint with regard to availability of transponder capacities, but it is expected that with greater demand will also come the supply,” MIB says without divulging how the growing demand for satellite capacity would be met.

    User s of satellite services in India, including teleports, DTH ops and Vsat players, have been severely constrained by lack of KU-band transponders as India’s space agency ISRO has not been able to fill the demand-supply gap despite several launches, while steadfastly refusing to ease norms for renting capacity on foreign satellites.

  • TV channels’ uplinking / downlinking procedure simplified

    MUMBAI: The ministry of information and broadcasting of the government of India has simplified the procedure for processing of application for uplinking/downlinking of TV channels. Marked to all broadcasters & teleport operators, this order, signed by the joint secretary to the government of India K Sanjay Murthy has come into immediate effect’

    All applications requiring permission for uplinking / downlinking of private satellites TV channels/ teleports/ news agencies/ DSNG etc. are processed as per clause 9.2 of the policy guidelines for uplinking of television channels from India dated 5 December 2011, which is reproduced below:

    “9.2 — On the basis of information furnished in the application form, if the applicant is found eligible, its application will be sent for security clearance to the ministry of home affairs and for clearance of satellite use to the Department of Space (wherever required)”.

    After detailed and careful consideration, the competent authority has decided that the following procedure would be followed in dealing with the phrase “wherever required” as mentioned in clause 9.2 of Uplinking Policy Guidelines’.

    DoS clearance would be required in case of applications seeking permission to set up teleports and operating DSNG vans.

    DoS clearance would not be required for TV channel applications proposing to uplink from teleports which are already cleared by DoS and permitted by the ministry of information and broadcasting.

    Also Read:

    Non-news temporary uplinking approvals in 15 days

    81 teleports permitted to uplink, downlink TV channels

     

  • Tele-components co Twinstar to bring in Rs 9k-cr FDI

    MUMBAI: Twinstar Technologies is among the 15 proposals worth Rs 12,200 crore on Monday cleared for foreign direct investments into India. Twinstar proposal will however also require the approval of the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA).

    Twinstar specialises in Optical Communications Passive Components for telecommunication and focuses on providing low-cost and high quality products for the rapidly developing FTTH market.

    The inter-ministerial body Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), led by the economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das, cleared the 15 of the 24 proposals it discussed, while deferring six and rejecting three proposals. Proposals which got the green signal primarily included Twinstar’s Rs 9,000-crore proposal, Apollo Hospitals’ Rs 750 crore proposal, and a proposal of Vodafone India, an official from the finance ministry said.

    Proposals of Hindustan Aeronautics and Dr Reddy’s were also approved.

    Also Read:

    http://www.indiantelevision.com/regulators/ib-ministry/idea-star-den-among-rs-1200-cr-fdi-proposals-approved-latter-to-switch-to-investing-biz-170120

  • MIB petitioned on pre-censorship of period cinematic content

    NEW DELHI: If a fringe group from Rajasthan has its way, then period cinematic dramas may face pre-censorship, which sooner or later could also lead to government interventions for TV content that still doesn’t face much content regulations and pre-screening vetting.

    Rajasthan’s Karni Sena wants pre- censorship of period films and plans to approach the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) in this regard. It had recently protested against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s period film `Padmavati’ accusing him of presenting “distorted facts”, according to a PTI report.

    “We are asking the I&B ministry about the pre-censorship of historic films. We are also hoping for some support from producer and director associations and in fact they are ready to give their support,” the PTI report quoted Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi as stating.

    Karni Sena had stalled the shooting of the Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone starrer by vandalising the set at the Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur in the northern state of Rajasthan and also assaulted director Bhansali. The acts weren’t strongly condemned by either the State or the Central governments and MIB minister M. Venkaiah Naidu had made some vague statements about freedom of expression in seemingly limp support of the film industry.

    “Our demands have been fulfilled by them (the film-makers of `Padmavati’). They have promised that they won’t show any kind of personal rapport between the actors in the movie (Rajput queen Padmavati and the then Muslim ruler in Delhi Allauddin Khilji),” Kalvi told PTI.

    According to the report, Kalvi said his group will also try to hold discussion over pre-screening of all historic films to journalists and historians so there was “no distortion of history.”

    TV and film industry observers opined that if the government capitulated to such pre-censorship of demands regarding films, it would be just a matter of time when similar demands would be made of historical and period serials aired on TV channels, the number of which are increasing on GECs.

    Incidentally, the film `Padmavati’ is based on `Padmavat’, a celebrated fictional ballad written in the Awadhi dialect of Hindi by 16th-century Indian Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi. The plot revolved around the beautiful queen Padmavati, originally hailing from Sri Lanka, who married a Rajput prince and came to the then India that was made up of a plethora of independent and princely states and had to commit suicide by jumping into a pyre to save her honour from the Muslim ruler of Delhi Khilji who got besotted by her reported beauty and annihilated her husband’s kingdom.

    As some critics have said, fiction is being turned into history in the 21st century India and artistic creativity was being stifled.

  • Govt reiterates inability to permit private radio news

    NEW DELHI: Reiterating its long-held stand that it was difficult to monitor news bulletins on FM and community radio channels, the Centre has expressed that permitting privately produced news bulletins could endanger “national security and public order”.

    The Government has already announced that Community Radio Stations and private FM in Phase III can air bulletins of All-India Radio without any payment.

    The government in an affidavit in the Supreme Court said it could not permit news content on FM as it might be misused by anti-national elements in the country and outside to propagate their agenda and radical views, posing a grave danger to the country.

    Answering the Court’s query in this regard, the Government said there was no mechanism in place to monitor content of live broadcast of all radio stations and law and order problems may arise if they transmit sensitive news.

    It also said several community radio stations were run by NGOs and could be used as platforms to manipulate the minds of local people.

    “Broadcasting of news by these stations/channels may pose a possible security risk as there is no mechanism to monitor the contents of news bulletin of every such station. As these stations and channels are run mainly by NGO or other small organisation and private operators, several anti-national or radical elements within the country can misuse it for propagating their own agenda,” it said.

    The government added that some radio stations also air programmes involving chats with NRIs and these may be exploited too.

    Also Read:  ‘Risk’ in FM stations airing news, apprehends Prasar head

    Why can’t pvt FM channels have news, SC asks govt

  • No proposal to bring news portals under PRB or PCI Acts

    NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry is not considering making the provisions of Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act 1867 and Press Council of India Act 1978 applicable to the news portals as these Acts are meant to govern print media sector only.

    Parliament was informed by Minister of State for I and B Rajyavardhan Rathore that according to the Allocation of Business Rules, the Electronics and Information Technology Ministry (MEITY) has been tasked to administer Information Technology Act 2000, under which the digital newspapers or news-disseminating portals fall.

    Rathore said the Government had formulated new guidelines for Central Government advertisements on websites. The policy of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity has been made effective from 24 May 2016 for releasing government advertisements on online platform (such as Google, Yahoo etc.).

    The policy sets out criteria for empanelment of suitable agencies and Rate fixation for advertisements on websites. The new Policy is available on the DAVP website under the heading ‘Electronic/New Media’ sub-heading ‘New Media Policy guidelines for empanelment and rate fixation for Central Govt. Advertisements’.

    The PRB Act is applicable to printed newspapers only and not to online newspapers. Similarly, PCI Act only deals with news items of printed newspapers / journals etc.

    Also Read:

    http://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/news-broadcasting/network18s-news18com-re-branded-as-pradeshcom-160204

    http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k13/mar/mar32.php

  • Report illegal TV channels, Govt alerted

    NEW DELHI: While stressing that the law was clear that no cable operator could beam any private TV channel which had not been registered with the Government, the minister of state for information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said today that a total of 889 private satellite channels had been given valid permission under Uplinking/ Downlinking Guidelines as on 31 January 2017.

    Rathore told the Parliament that Sub Rule 6(6) of the Cable Television Network Rules 1994 specifies that no cable operator shall carry or include in his cable service any television broadcast or channel which has not been registered by the Central Government for being viewed within the territory of India.

    The Ministry has from time to time issued advisories to State Governments to constitute State and District Level Monitoring Committees for broadcast content monitoring.

    The Ministry on 8 July 2016 issued an advisory to the Chief Secretaries of all States/UTs Governments, the District Collectors and the Multi System Operators (MSOs)/ Local Cable Operators (LCOs) to ensure that no unpermitted TV channel, are transmitted/ re-transmitted in the Cable Networks and to take action against the defaulter under the provisions of the Cable Television Networks Act 1995 to stop transmission of these channels.

    In pursuance to this, necessary action had been taken by authorized officers and FIR lodged against the concerned LCO. 

    In mid-2016, the Ministry had also written to the Home Ministry to bring to its notice any illegal channels being beamed in the country.

    However, the I and B Ministry had last month put on its website a list of 899 as at the end of 2016, with nine new television channels cleared in December 2016.

    According to that list, permission had been initially granted to 1054 channels but later the licences of 155 channels had been cancelled. The 899 channels included 500 general entertainment channels and 399 news and current affairs channels.

    Of these, while 788 were allowed to uplink and downlink in India, 20 were permitted to uplink from India but not downlink in the country and 91 channels uplinked from overseas were permitted downlinking into India.

    Also Read:

    Peace TV Saga: 24 TV channels identified unfit for telecast in 2015 by India

    HC terms Care World TV ‘ban’ as illegal