ITV

Tag: Broadcast Policy

  • Cabinet tunes in to radio FM

    Cabinet tunes in to radio FM

    NEW DELHI: In what might be I&B minister Jaipal Reddys swan song— political buzz, says he, may be shunted back to the Congress Party in a ministerial reshuffle — his ministry is attempting to push through a slew of policy related papers for his colleagues okay.

    A cabinet note on FM radio broadcast policy has already been sent to the Union Cabinet.

    According to a senior official of the information and broadcasting ministry, the note on FM radio broadcast policy for Cabinets consideration has been sent few days back to the Cabinet Secretariat for listing on the agenda

    The official added that the ministry is poised to complete formalities for a similar note on the amendments it would like to be introduced in the existing uplink guidelines.

    However, the official refused to spell out the details.

    Still, information collated from various sources indicate that the existing uplink policy is likely to see some major amendments, which include allowing TV channels and teleports to uplink to KU-band transponders.

    Presently, the guidelines state that a channel/teleport allowed to uplink from India shall not carry out the uplinking in any other band except C-band.

    A hike in the licencing fee too has been proposed to Rs 500,000 (approximately $ 12,000), which, as per global standards, is still considered to be on the lower side.

    In what could be construed an attempt on the part of the government to discourage non-serious players from crowding the ministries for uplink-related clearances, it has been mooted by the I&B ministry that a permission once given would be valid for just 12 months.

    The government would cancel the uplink permission of a company that does not operationalises its services within one year from getting the uplink nod.

    Doordarshans interest too has been safeguarded under the revised uplink norms and the pubcaster would have access to terrestrial feed of all sporting events being played in India, irrespective of the fact who owns the telecast rights.

    As far as the FM radio broadcast policy is concerned, the I&B ministry has supported a revenue share model of between 4-5 per cent, while suggesting a complex migration formula for the existing private sector FM radio players and allowing some foreign investment in radio ventures.
     

  • Mid-Day’s Go 92.5 FM serves notice it may surrender licence

    Mid-Day’s Go 92.5 FM serves notice it may surrender licence

    MUMBAI: First was Win Radio. Now another FM wannabe has sounded the death throes alarm.
     
     
    Radio Mid Day West India Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Mid-Day Multimedia Ltd, has sent a conditional notice to the government of India (I&B ministry) to surrender its licence for FM Radio broadcasting in Mumbai wef 29 June 2004.

    The news comes just over a month after another FM station announced it was downing shutters.

    It was on 26 May that indiantelevision.com had reported that Win 94.6, one of the private FM radio stations in Mumbai, billed as the underdog among the five contenders, had gone off air.

    Radio Mid-Day informed the Bombay Stock Exchange today that “despite several representations by the company to the government of India, the latter has not agreed to change the existing licensing structure for private broadcasters. If the government of India changes the licensing structure before 28 June 2004, the company retains the right to withdraw the notice and continue license/license agreement on revised term and conditions as may be mutually agreed to between the company and the government of India.”

     
    The Midday group annual report 2002-03 had clearly stated the following while talking about the path forward: “In the radio business, we will build our Mumbai radio station while awaiting clarity from the government on the Broadcast Policy, after which a game plan for future growth will be developed.”

    Mid-Day Multimedia chairman Khalid AH Ansari had observed in the annual report: “Last year saw Go 92.5 FM consolidate its position as the premium player in the industry. However, the major issue plaguing the industry as a whole is that of the high licence fee regime. This matter has been taken up by the industry, with the government, and a positive resolution of the issue is expected shortly. Radio as a medium is maturing at an accelerated pace. The growth in audience numbers, which currently stands at approximately 5 million listeners, proves that the medium has a vast potential for garnering advertising revenue. Go 92.5 is well positioned to take advantage of this exploding medium and its revenue yielding capacity.”

    Left in the FM space in Mumbai now are the Times Groups’ Radio Mirchi (the leading station), the Star India backed Radio City, and the India Today group’s Red FM.