ITV

Category: I&B Ministry

  • Permission to 126 TV channels remains cancelled even as total of permitted channels rises to 869

    Permission to 126 TV channels remains cancelled even as total of permitted channels rises to 869

    New Delhi, 10 March: While the total number of satellite television channels uplinking from or downlinking into India has risen by twelve to 869 in the past month, the number of channels to whom permission had been cancelled remains 126.

    Thus, the government had given permission to a total of 995 channels which included those whose permissions were cancelled later.

    Of the permitted channels, 402 are news and current affairs channels while 467 are general entertainment channels until 29 February.

    Unlike previous times, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has not uploaded details of the twelve new channels that have been permitted during February.

    Twenty channels including seven news channels have been permitted to uplink from India but not downlink within the country. 

    A total of 755 channels including 375 GECs are allowed to uplink and downlink in the country while 94 including 79 GECs are uplinked from overseas but allowed to downlink into TV homes in the country.    

     

  • Permission to 126 TV channels remains cancelled even as total of permitted channels rises to 869

    Permission to 126 TV channels remains cancelled even as total of permitted channels rises to 869

    New Delhi, 10 March: While the total number of satellite television channels uplinking from or downlinking into India has risen by twelve to 869 in the past month, the number of channels to whom permission had been cancelled remains 126.

    Thus, the government had given permission to a total of 995 channels which included those whose permissions were cancelled later.

    Of the permitted channels, 402 are news and current affairs channels while 467 are general entertainment channels until 29 February.

    Unlike previous times, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has not uploaded details of the twelve new channels that have been permitted during February.

    Twenty channels including seven news channels have been permitted to uplink from India but not downlink within the country. 

    A total of 755 channels including 375 GECs are allowed to uplink and downlink in the country while 94 including 79 GECs are uplinked from overseas but allowed to downlink into TV homes in the country.    

     

  • Eleven categories of Prasar Bharati employees in employment in February 1999 got upgraded payscales: Rathore

    Eleven categories of Prasar Bharati employees in employment in February 1999 got upgraded payscales: Rathore

    NEW DELHI: The Government had granted upgraded pay scales to 11 categories of the then existing employees of Prasar Bharati pertaining to Engineering and Programme Cadres on 25 February 1999.

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcastng Rajyavardhan Rathore told Parliament that Prasar Bharati has granted upgraded pay scales to 484 employees of subordinate Engineering and Programme cadres who had joined Prasar Bharati after 25 February 1999 following Court orders.

    Answerng a question, he said the decision on the proposal received from Directorate General of All India Radio has been linked to the Speaking Order dated 9 December 2014, issued by the Ministry towards implementation of an Order dated 10 November 2014 of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Ernakulam Bench, in a Contempt Petition filed by Federation of Doordarshan Core Professionals (FDCP) who were seeking upgraded pay scales as were granted to 11 categories of employees vide order dated 25 February1999.

    But he said the matter was sub judice as the order of 9 December 2014 had been challenged by the employees associated with FDCP in a fresh OA before the Central Administrative Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench.

  • Eleven categories of Prasar Bharati employees in employment in February 1999 got upgraded payscales: Rathore

    Eleven categories of Prasar Bharati employees in employment in February 1999 got upgraded payscales: Rathore

    NEW DELHI: The Government had granted upgraded pay scales to 11 categories of the then existing employees of Prasar Bharati pertaining to Engineering and Programme Cadres on 25 February 1999.

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcastng Rajyavardhan Rathore told Parliament that Prasar Bharati has granted upgraded pay scales to 484 employees of subordinate Engineering and Programme cadres who had joined Prasar Bharati after 25 February 1999 following Court orders.

    Answerng a question, he said the decision on the proposal received from Directorate General of All India Radio has been linked to the Speaking Order dated 9 December 2014, issued by the Ministry towards implementation of an Order dated 10 November 2014 of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Ernakulam Bench, in a Contempt Petition filed by Federation of Doordarshan Core Professionals (FDCP) who were seeking upgraded pay scales as were granted to 11 categories of employees vide order dated 25 February1999.

    But he said the matter was sub judice as the order of 9 December 2014 had been challenged by the employees associated with FDCP in a fresh OA before the Central Administrative Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench.

  • Govt clarifies TDS provisions for broadcasters vis-a-vis producers and advertisers

    Govt clarifies TDS provisions for broadcasters vis-a-vis producers and advertisers

    New Delhi: The Finance Ministry said today that if a content/programme is produced according to the specifications provided by the broadcaster/telecaster and the copyright of the content/programme gets transferred to the telecaster/broadcaster, such contract is subject to TDS under section 194C at 2 per cent, rather than at a rate of 10 per cent under section 194J as payment for ‘professional or technical services’.

    In a circular issued recently, it was stated that such a contract is covered by the definition of the term ‘work’ in section 194C of the Income-tax Act.

    The Central Board of Direct Taxes has brought out two circulars to bring about clarity in the interpretation of certain contentious issues relating to Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) on payments made by television channels, broadcasters and newspapers.

    The first Circular No.4/2016 dated 29 February deals with TDS on payments by broadcasters or television channels to production houses for production of content or programme for telecasting.

    The other circular – No.5/2016 dated 29 February – deals with TDS on payments by television channels and publishing houses to advertisement companies for procuring or canvassing for advertisements.

    It has been clarified through the Circular that no TDS is attracted on payments made by television channels/newspaper companies to the advertising agency for booking or procuring of or canvassing for advertisements.

    This clarification puts at rest the litigious issue as to whether such payments/discounts are in the nature of ‘commission’ and so, subject to TDS at the rate of 10 per cent under section 194H.
    Both the Circulars are available on the website of the Department www.incometaxindia.gov.in.

  • Govt clarifies TDS provisions for broadcasters vis-a-vis producers and advertisers

    Govt clarifies TDS provisions for broadcasters vis-a-vis producers and advertisers

    New Delhi: The Finance Ministry said today that if a content/programme is produced according to the specifications provided by the broadcaster/telecaster and the copyright of the content/programme gets transferred to the telecaster/broadcaster, such contract is subject to TDS under section 194C at 2 per cent, rather than at a rate of 10 per cent under section 194J as payment for ‘professional or technical services’.

    In a circular issued recently, it was stated that such a contract is covered by the definition of the term ‘work’ in section 194C of the Income-tax Act.

    The Central Board of Direct Taxes has brought out two circulars to bring about clarity in the interpretation of certain contentious issues relating to Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) on payments made by television channels, broadcasters and newspapers.

    The first Circular No.4/2016 dated 29 February deals with TDS on payments by broadcasters or television channels to production houses for production of content or programme for telecasting.

    The other circular – No.5/2016 dated 29 February – deals with TDS on payments by television channels and publishing houses to advertisement companies for procuring or canvassing for advertisements.

    It has been clarified through the Circular that no TDS is attracted on payments made by television channels/newspaper companies to the advertising agency for booking or procuring of or canvassing for advertisements.

    This clarification puts at rest the litigious issue as to whether such payments/discounts are in the nature of ‘commission’ and so, subject to TDS at the rate of 10 per cent under section 194H.
    Both the Circulars are available on the website of the Department www.incometaxindia.gov.in.

  • Print ads get largest chunk from govt’s ad spends of Rs 842.8 crore till 29 February

    Print ads get largest chunk from govt’s ad spends of Rs 842.8 crore till 29 February

    New Delhi: A total of Rs 842.8 crore was spent by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity during 2015-16 for release of government advertisements on behalf of various central government ministries/departments, attached and subordinate Offices. Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, while informing that these figures were up to 29 February, added that the largest chunk of Rs 402.79 crore went into print media and the lowest chunk of 7.83 crore went into exhibitions.

    In a reply in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said today that a sum of Rs 353.31 crore went into the electronic media which includes private cable and satellite TV channels, FM radio, digital cinema, SMS, and internet. A sum of Rs 66.83 crore went into outdoor publicity, and Rs 12.13 crore was spent on print publicity.

    Breaking up spends on the print media further, Jaitley said, Rs 864,622,488 went into finance, Rs 313,042,627 in health and family welfare,  Rs 650,186,569 into information and broadcasting, Rs 236,255,392 into social justice and empowerment, Rs 153,758,926 into consumer affairs and food and public distribution, and Rs 109,740,171 into home affairs.

    In electronic media, the largest chunk went into publicizing drinking water supply (Rs 888,196,956), followed by Rs 518,201,180 on department of family welfare, tourism (Rs 438,717,736), income tax (Rs 27,504,845) and Rs 238,051,652 on information and broadcasting.

  • Print ads get largest chunk from govt’s ad spends of Rs 842.8 crore till 29 February

    Print ads get largest chunk from govt’s ad spends of Rs 842.8 crore till 29 February

    New Delhi: A total of Rs 842.8 crore was spent by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity during 2015-16 for release of government advertisements on behalf of various central government ministries/departments, attached and subordinate Offices. Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley, while informing that these figures were up to 29 February, added that the largest chunk of Rs 402.79 crore went into print media and the lowest chunk of 7.83 crore went into exhibitions.

    In a reply in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said today that a sum of Rs 353.31 crore went into the electronic media which includes private cable and satellite TV channels, FM radio, digital cinema, SMS, and internet. A sum of Rs 66.83 crore went into outdoor publicity, and Rs 12.13 crore was spent on print publicity.

    Breaking up spends on the print media further, Jaitley said, Rs 864,622,488 went into finance, Rs 313,042,627 in health and family welfare,  Rs 650,186,569 into information and broadcasting, Rs 236,255,392 into social justice and empowerment, Rs 153,758,926 into consumer affairs and food and public distribution, and Rs 109,740,171 into home affairs.

    In electronic media, the largest chunk went into publicizing drinking water supply (Rs 888,196,956), followed by Rs 518,201,180 on department of family welfare, tourism (Rs 438,717,736), income tax (Rs 27,504,845) and Rs 238,051,652 on information and broadcasting.

  • Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    New Delhi, 6 March: Information & Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Arora said today that the Film and Television Institute of India should strengthen its activities and improve on its functioning to become an Institute of Excellence in the country.

    Arora, who was in Pune to attend the concluding function of the National Film Archives of India Workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration, also planted a sapling at the Kothrud site of FTII wherein 32 new staff quarters are being constructed. He also visited the legendary Prabhat Studios at the Law College campus of FTII. He met the dean (Films) Kedar Awasthi, Dean (Television) and the faculty members as well as the staff.

    Director Prashant Pathrabe and Awati shared with him the details of the activities conducted by the Institute in the past four months.

    In the morning, he attended the condolence meeting at NFAI arranged on the demise of film archivist and former NFAI Director P.K.Nair who passed away two days ago.

    Arora said “P K Nair’s contribution was big in setting up the film archive. I hope his work would inspire and help build up larger momentum in the film archiving and preservation movement of the country.”   He said there was no greater tribute to Nair than to hold this workshop and carry on diligently with preservation/restoration work.

    Around sixty persons were present at the meeting including NFAI director Prakash Magdum, filmmaker Amol Palekar and former director Suresh Chabria. Ashay Film Club on behalf of FFSI hoped a scholarship in the name of Nair would be instituted.

     

  • Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    Arora urges FTII to strengthen its activities, attends P K Nair condolence meet

    New Delhi, 6 March: Information & Broadcasting Secretary Sunil Arora said today that the Film and Television Institute of India should strengthen its activities and improve on its functioning to become an Institute of Excellence in the country.

    Arora, who was in Pune to attend the concluding function of the National Film Archives of India Workshop on Film Preservation and Restoration, also planted a sapling at the Kothrud site of FTII wherein 32 new staff quarters are being constructed. He also visited the legendary Prabhat Studios at the Law College campus of FTII. He met the dean (Films) Kedar Awasthi, Dean (Television) and the faculty members as well as the staff.

    Director Prashant Pathrabe and Awati shared with him the details of the activities conducted by the Institute in the past four months.

    In the morning, he attended the condolence meeting at NFAI arranged on the demise of film archivist and former NFAI Director P.K.Nair who passed away two days ago.

    Arora said “P K Nair’s contribution was big in setting up the film archive. I hope his work would inspire and help build up larger momentum in the film archiving and preservation movement of the country.”   He said there was no greater tribute to Nair than to hold this workshop and carry on diligently with preservation/restoration work.

    Around sixty persons were present at the meeting including NFAI director Prakash Magdum, filmmaker Amol Palekar and former director Suresh Chabria. Ashay Film Club on behalf of FFSI hoped a scholarship in the name of Nair would be instituted.