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Tag: Broadcasting

  • Trai accommodates Prasar Bharati’s concerns on 5G auctions; overlooks private broadcasters

    Trai accommodates Prasar Bharati’s concerns on 5G auctions; overlooks private broadcasters

    Mumbai: Despite several requests from private broadcasters, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) seems to have overlooked their request in the much-awaited recommendation on the 5G spectrum auction released on Monday. The telecom regulator, however, has accommodated Prasar Bharati’s concerns regarding the auctioning of the 526-582 MHz frequency band being used by Doordarshan for providing terrestrial TV broadcasting.

    The private players had requested for an adequate guard band of 100MHz between the 3300-3670 MHz allocated to 5G and 3700-4200 MHz being used by them in accordance with the international telecommunication union (ITU) norms. 

    Trai has instead recommended the department of telecommunication (DoT) to ask the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) to take appropriate action and sensitise the MSOs, DTH operators, and other users to ensure the use of high-quality bandpass filters operating in 3700-4200 MHz range to avoid interference from IMT stations.

    “As the IMT emissions in the 3300-3670 MHz may saturate the low noise block (LNB) of the fixed-satellite service (FSS) earth station which traditionally operates in the 3400-4200 MHz, there is a need to make use of high-quality bandpass filters operating in 3700-4200 MHz range,” a statement issued by Trai said. 

    ALSO READ | Broadcasters huddle up as 5G roll-out plan gathers pace

    Broadcasters claimed to have faced interference on downlink frequencies during the initial 5G trials, following which they raised the issue with the MIB, DoT, and WPC (Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing of DoT), and the Trai. There were apprehensions around potential interference due to the larger C band allocation to 5G and the limited guard band of 30 MHz between the two services.

    “The 526-612 MHz frequency range should not be put in the forthcoming auction,” Trai recommended while stating the following reasons:

    (i)  Band plan(s) for the frequency range 526-612 MHz is yet to be defined by 3GPP/ITU.

    (ii)  Development of ecosystem for IMT in the 526-612 MHz frequency range will take some time.

    (iii)  MIB is using the 526-582 MHz band extensively across the country for TV transmitters.

    The telecom regulator has urged the DoT to come out with a plan for reframing the 526-582 MHz band to be utilised for IMT deployments. “To make 526-582 MHz band available for IMT, DoT should work with MIB to prepare a plan for an early migration from analogue to digital transmission, so that the frequency band from 526-582 MHz can be vacated for IMT services,” it said.

    Prasar Bharati had earlier argued that airwaves in the 526-582 MHz frequency band are required for the expansion and modernisation of its services. The public broadcaster had told Trai that “availability of spectrum is very crucial for planning DD TV Transmitters. Thus, the decision to use frequency band 470-698 for IMT purpose can be taken only after finalisation of terrestrial TV services by Doordarshan or other private broadcasters.”

    “Many analogue, digital-ready and digital terrestrial TV transmitters are operating in the band. Also, digital-ready transmitters are under installation in the union territory of Jammu & Kashmir for which the wireless planning & coordination wing (WPC) has provided for in this band only,” it added.

    The DoT, through its letter dated 13 September 2021, requested Trai to furnish its recommendations on the auction of spectrum in the frequencies identified for international mobile telecommunications (IMT)/5G. The recommendations were sought on the applicable reserve price, band plan, block size, the quantum of spectrum to be auctioned and associated conditions for auction of spectrum in 526-698 MHz, 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz, 2500 MHz, 3300-3670 MHz, and 24.25 – 28.5 GHz bands identified for IMT/5G in India.

    Except for 526-698 MHz, Trai has recommended that all available spectrum in the abovementioned bands be put to auction for 5G services.

  • Trai institutes mechanism for speedy implementation of its recommendations by DoT, MIB

    Trai institutes mechanism for speedy implementation of its recommendations by DoT, MIB

    Mumbai: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has released its annual report for the year 2020-21. The report contains an overview of the broadcasting sector and a summary of the key initiatives of Trai on regulatory matters with specific reference to the functions mandated to it under the Act.

    Over the last few years, Trai has sent a number of recommendations to the department of telecommunications (DoT) and the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) on important issues concerning the growth of broadcasting and cable services in the country. A number of these recommendations have been accepted during the period. “However, many of the important recommendations are still pending for decision/implementation by DoT and MIB which if implemented would have a significant positive impact on the sector,” the telecom regulator said.

    Important recommendations that have been accepted by MIB during the year 2020-21 and their likely impact on the sector are detailed below:

    (i) Recommendations on “Issues related to New DTH Licenses” were forwarded to the government on 23 July 2014. The implementation of these recommendations will ensure certainty and continuity of business and orderly growth of the DTH sector and will promote a level playing field. After acceptance of these recommendations by MIB, the amendments to DTH License guidelines were issued on 30 December 2020.

    (ii) Recommendations on “KYC of DTH Set Top Boxes” forwarded to the government on 24 October 2019 addressed the security concerns for use of DTH boxes outside the country as satellites have footprints beyond geographical boundaries. The acceptance and implementation of these Recommendations will result in standardisation of the verification process and will ensure installation of DTH connection at the address mentioned in CAF and will not load the industry/customer with unnecessary additional requirements and costs.

    (iii) Recommendations on “Platform Services offered by DTH Operators” forwarded to the government on 13 November 2019 addressed the issues of bringing platform services under a regulatory framework and providing transparent information to consumers about platform services. Amendments to DTH License guidelines have been issued by MIB on 30 December 2020 whereby DTH operators are permitted to operate platform services channels to a maximum of five per cent of their total channel carrying capacity.

    Recommendations forwarded to MIB that are still pending with the government as of 31 March 2021 are as follows:

    1.      Recommendations on restrictions on certain entities from entering the business of broadcasting and distribution of TV channels.

    2.      Recommendations on Issues related to radio audience measurement and ratings in India.

    3.      Recommendations on issues related to digital terrestrial broadcasting (DTT) in India.

    4.      Recommendations on sharing infrastructure in the TV broadcasting distribution sector.

    5.      Recommendations on issues related to digital radio broadcasting in India.

    6.      Recommendations on issues relating to uplinking and downlinking of television channels in India.

    7.      Recommendations on reserve price for auction of FM radio channels in new cities.

    8.      Recommendations on interoperability of set-top box.

    9.      Recommendations on review of television audience measurement and rating system in India.

    10.    Recommendations on a regulatory framework for platform services (PS) for MSO.

    The Trai felt that a periodic review of the implementation status of all recommendations of the authority should be done at the highest level. With an objective to put in place a mechanism whereby there is a periodic review of the implementation of pending recommendations of Trai in DoT/MIB and to create a central repository for real-time tracking of the status of all recommendations, the regulator has developed a recommendation status portal which can be accessed jointly by Trai, DoT, and MIB.

  • Republic TV rejigs top leadership, names Darius Maneckji as business head

    Republic TV rejigs top leadership, names Darius Maneckji as business head

    Mumbai: Republic Media Network has bolstered its business team with the elevation of Hersh Bhandari as group chief operating officer – broadcasting division and appointment of Darius Maneckji as business head for Republic TV and senior executive vice president.

    In his new role, Bhandari will oversee the entire national operations for all existing broadcast channels of the network. Maneckji will now lead the entire expansive national operations for Republic TV, including the channel’s offices in Bengaluru, Noida, Gurgaon, Kolkata and Mumbai. He will report to Hersh Bhandari, announced the network in a statement on Wednesday.

    With 24 years of experience, Bhandari is a well-established industry veteran with hefty achievements. With his impeccable record, he will also lead and strategise all future growth of the network’s broadcasting business into languages and regions. “Bhandari will manage the entire broadcast business operations from the network’s offices in Noida and Mumbai,” the media company said.

    “At Republic Media Network, we continue to consolidate and strengthen ourselves with speed for the growth that beckons us,” said Hersh Bhandari. “I am energised by the trust reposed in me by the board, management, and my colleagues, to help shape and deliver the next phase of growth. We think and move as one, shoulder-to-shoulder.”

    With over 20 years of experience, dominantly in leadership positions, Maneckji has a well-respected and robust record in the media. He has been the national sales head in the past for Times Now and also the national sales head for the English movie cluster at Turner International India. Before onboarding with Republic TV, his last assignment was with TV Today.  “I am excited to join India’s fastest-growing news network. I look forward to working with one of the best teams in the business to ensure we continue to command and establish our leadership role in the English news genre,” said Darius Maneckji.

    “I am excited about the new roles for both Hersh and Darius,” said Republic Media Network founder and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. “The broadcasting division under Hersh will see rapid growth, like never before. Our digital business is being expanded by 100 percent and together with our Strategic Business partnerships, will be hived off into separate business divisions, each with their own leadership and goals. At a consolidated level, this should place us in a fantastic position to be the number one TV plus digital news company across the board in two years.”

    Republic Media Network is expanding its broadcasting operations and will be making more announcements in the coming weeks. “The induction of strong business talent is part of the expansion of the network and creation of a strong organizational base to take the plans forward,” added Goswami.

  • Goldmines Telefilms names Joy Chakraborthy as CEO-broadcasting

    Goldmines Telefilms names Joy Chakraborthy as CEO-broadcasting

    Mumbai: Goldmines Telefilms has brought Joy Chakraborthy on board as CEO-broadcasting.

    With 27 years in the media industry, Chakraborthy is armed with experience in print, television, radio and digital businesses, with ad sales and revenue generation being core to his career.

    “We welcome Joy into the Goldmines family. He comes with vast experience across genres and media platforms in the country,” said Goldmines Telefilms director Manish Shah. “We look forward to working with him, making the most of his experience as our mega plans unfold.”

    Chakraborthy previously served as CEO of Enterr10 Media, TV Today Network, and Forbes India. Prior to that, he was Zee Group executive director, Times of India Group director, TV18 News Network president and Star TV executive vice president.

    “I am looking forward to working with Manish Shah. Having interacted with him over time, I can see his clarity, focus and drive towards the business goals. Manish’s vision and genre understanding as a promoter is a vital add-on,” said  Joy Chakraborthy. “Goldmines plans to introduce more channels and we will be talking about them as plans rollout. As I like to work on business challenges, I see my role at Goldmines as one such exciting challenge to take on.”

    Chakraborthy is an alumnus of the Harvard Business School and has graduated from National Defence Academy.

  • Trai seeks suggestions to enhance ease of doing business in telecom and broadcasting sector

    Trai seeks suggestions to enhance ease of doing business in telecom and broadcasting sector

    New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has released a consultation paper on “Ease of Doing Business in Telecom and Broadcasting Sector”.

    The industry stakeholders can send their comments by 5 January 2022, and counter comments can be submitted by 19 January 2022.

    The regulatory body highlighted that the telecommunication and broadcasting sectors have emerged as key drivers of economic and social development and has made the country a favorite business destination amongst investors. According to Trai, both the sectors have immense potential to move on the higher trajectory of growth, “if business environment could be made more attractive by simplifying the existing provisions of policy frameworks in various ministries and departments including the ministry of information and broadcasting, department of telecommunications, ministry of electronics and information technology involved in issuing permission, registrations, and licenses to the players of the sector.”

    It said that the larger aim behind floating this consultation paper is to identify various concerns in the existing processes and suggest measures for the reforms required in the regulatory processes, policies, practices and procedures in the telecom and broadcasting sector for creating a conducive business environment in India.

    The consultation paper also seeks comments of the stakeholders on various issues and difficulties being faced by them in commencement and operation of their businesses in telecom and broadcasting sectors in the country.

    It also seeks suggestions on measures for making the existing processes simple, business friendly and creating an ecosystem for attracting more and more investment in the sectors. It also emphasises the single window concept for submitting applications and getting approvals from different agencies without running to each agency separately for its approval.

    Suggestions are also invited on simplifying the applications which have just the required details for the conduct of business and well-documented timelines with query response systems, having seamless integration with other ministries, etc. Apart from that, the stakeholders have also been requested to provide their comments on adoption of new technologies for all the issues raised in this consultation paper.

  • Trai issues new consultation paper to regulate monopoly in Cable TV services

    Trai issues new consultation paper to regulate monopoly in Cable TV services

    New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has released a new consultation paper to regulate the market structure/ competition in Cable TV services across the country.

    The issue was initially raised by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) in December 2012, when it sought the recommendation of the regulatory body. In its letter to Trai, the ministry highlighted how Cable TV distribution is virtually monopolised by a single entity in some states like Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Orissa, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.

    According to MIB, it has become necessary to examine whether there is a need to bring in certain reasonable restrictions on Multi-System Operators (MSOs) and Local Cable operators (LCOs), including restricting their area of operation or restricting the subscriber base to prevent monopoly. The Cable TV Act and the Cable TV Rules also do not restrict the number of MSOs/LCOs operating in any specific area.  

    After following a due consultation process, Trai issued its recommendations on 26 November 2013. However, Trai has now received a backreference from MIB mentioning therein that a considerable time has passed since the recommendations were made and that the media and entertainment (M&E) landscape has changed drastically, particularly with the advent of new digital technologies in this sector. Technological developments especially IP technology and the increasing use of packet-switched digital communications have made converged services possible.

    Therefore, some of the issues need further consideration by the authority and it may provide a fresh set of recommendations in the matter looking at the subsequent developments/expansion in the M&E sector, stated MIB.

    The regulatory body has now invited comments from the stakeholders by 22 November. Counter comments, if any, may be submitted by 6 December.

    As of September 2021, there are 1733 registered MSOs in the country and approximately 1. 55 lakh cable operators as of March 2021.

  • VBS 2021: The way forward for linear TV ecosystem

    VBS 2021: The way forward for linear TV ecosystem

    KOLKATA: The debate of over-the-top (OTT) platforms versus pay TV has been centre stage in media and entertainment conversations over the last couple of years. More recently, the subject has died down as the industry reached the conclusion that both linear TV and on-demand TV will co-exist in India for a long time, unlike the markets in the west. But the change in technology and consumer behaviour have definitely thrown challenges at the traditional TV ecosystem. At the Video and Broadband Summit (VBS) 2021, the industry discussed how to stay resilient even amid the flux.

    The summit started with a welcome note by Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari as the prestigious conference marked its seventeenth edition this year. Back in 2003, when the summit (earlier IDOS) was held for the first time, the industry was much more disorganised. Over the passage of nearly two decades, the industry has gone through multiple changes like digitisation, new price regime etc.

    India has escaped cord-cutting, TV viewing is growing but the industry cannot afford to lean back, Wanvari said. He also cautioned alarm that despite the projections of the Indian pay-TV ecosystem reaching $15-16 billion revenue, it still stands at around $11 billion.

    “Only about 800 million are being served by linear TV. Another 500 million are yet to be served. Traditional TV is definitely strong here but it has come under attack. Broadcasters have to find ways of combating the surge of edgy and almost meaningful content which has recently been brought under the regulation of I&B ministry that is being put out by OTT platforms to hook and retain customers. Now DTH operators, HITS providers, Cable TV players have to find ways of making their operations even more scalable, provide additional services,” Wanvari commented.

    Post the welcome note, VBS 2021 hosted its first panel discussion, moderated by Wanvari, bringing together top executives from broadcasters and distribution platform operators (DPOs). In ‘The leaders speak laying out a profitable future’ session, Indiacast Media Distribution president Amit Arora, Siti Networks CEO Anil Malhotra, Star & Disney India- India & International TV distribution president Gurjeev Singh Kapoor, Travelxp 4K founder & CEO Prashant Chothani, Fastway Transmission & Netplus Broadband group CEO Prem Ojha, and NXTDigital MD & CEO Vynsley Fernandes discussed the industry’s recovery post-Covid2019 and the way beyond.

    The leaders agreed that the industry has come out of the Covid2019 impact and is bouncing back gradually, although there are still some hiccups. “We all had to recast our business models, there were a lot of learnings that happened. One was that the government ensured that cable TV and broadband were treated as essential services,” Fernandes stated. Fastway’s Ojha added that technology took a big leap catalysed by the pandemic situation.

    “Majority of content consumption still happens on DPO level. They were keeping up the service level in the pandemic. I am really amazed to see how all of them were able to put up that spirit to their team that let’s not get frightened, let’s get the connectivity going. DPOs are the real media Covid warriors. This is my learning from the pandemic – that there has to be cross-dependency and there has to be faith between the entire ecosystem, then we are going to have much bigger recovery, much bigger growth going forward,” Chothani said. While the subscription count went down during the crisis due to migration, MN Vyas asserted that the numbers are bouncing back. “We’re looking forward to the good fiscal year 2022,” Arora said.

    Other than a dip in subscriber addition due to the Covid crisis, the broadcasters and DPOs could not undertake any price revision due to the lack of clarity on NTO 2.0. Kapoor said there is now competition in every genre reducing the risk of monopoly, both for broadcasters and MSOs. Hence, the pricing of content should be left with market forces rather than implementing heavy regulations.

    Talking about future opportunities, the leaders agreed that the conversion from SD to HD can be one potential area if communicated properly to consumers. Along with that, wired broadband is another potential growth driver for MSOs as the penetration is very low currently. Even if deep-pocketed players like Jio starts aggressive acquisition, there will still be enough opportunities left for other players given the fact there are only 22 million home broadband subscribers currently, Malhotra noted.

    Along with a robust business model, technology acts as the deciding factor in today’s fast-moving era. The second session discussed ‘Future proofing DPOs on video delivery solutions’ in the presence of NXTDigital group CTO Ru Ediriwira, Asianet Satellite Communications Ltd vice president & technology head Salil Thomas, Broadpeak Business Development vice president  Xavier Leclercq, and Planetcast Media Services founder director MN Vyas.

    Ediriwira said it is important to focus on future proof technology but new technology can come anytime and disrupt the industry despite the precautions. According to her, it is important to keep abreast of current developments and be open to new opportunities. Thomas echoed a similar sentiment, saying every organisation should be ready to adapt to changes, no matter what.

    “I think futureproof is something which is never possible. We have to really look at what is needed –at least what is needed in the next five years. We have to make a sea change in our distribution system. TV has to be more intelligent,” Vyas added.

    The panel also discussed the possibility of IPTV as a solution to simplify the network. Although it needs long-term investment and has not been considered widely, it could be the right direction to look at. Leclercq said, “Everywhere in the cable network, efficiency is reducing, complexity is moving everything to IP based delivery. I think one of the encouraging steps in this direction is seeing some big scale MSO in Europe, US launching IP only set top boxes.”

    The summit rounded off with a session focusing on ‘Customer First’ moderated by PwC India’s partner and leader – media, entertainment & sports advisory Raman Kalra. The panelists included some of the top names from the broadband and cable industry, such as JioFiber president Anuj Jain, Siti Networks ‘ DGM Strategy Anurag Nigam, UCN Cable Network operations head Debashis Mohanty, GTPL Hathway vice president Yatin Gupta and Shemaroo Entertainment broadcasting business COO Sandeep Gupta.

    Kalra opened the session by mentioning how customers today are spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing content to consume, what with video on demand and OTT platforms mushrooming with ever increasing channels of entertainment. Despite demands for content and internet broadband having skyrocketed during the pandemic, the challenge of remaining relevant is a concern for both the service and content provider, as well, in the highly competitive market. So the question arises on how to acquire and retain a customer base with the constantly changing customer demands and behaviour.

    The panel debated the pros and cons of the pandemic and the post-Covid market scenario. Everyone agreed that the period was a huge shot in the arm to the industry as people were confined to their homes with increasing digital requirements for their work, study and entertainment. It resulted in a major spike in cable TV and broadband consumption in the initial months of the pandemic, which flattened out towards the latter half of the lockdown.

    Strategies were discussed on how best to meet consumer needs and ensure customer stickiness. The session concluded by summarising that there’s a need for businesses to invest deeply in knowing and engaging with their customers. Analysing customers’ content consumption data can also lead to rich dividends.

  • NBP draft ready for consultation with Prasar Bharati CEO

    NBP draft ready for consultation with Prasar Bharati CEO

    KOLKATA: A fresh broadcasting policy in India, that’s up to speed on the dynamic industry developments, has been on the cards for a long time now. Last month, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) intimated that work on the National Broadcast Policy (NBP) was in full swing. Now, the draft NBP is ready to be shared with Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati for further consultation.

    The draft is also ready for consultation with scientific ministries like the department of telecommunication, ministry of electronics and information technology, ministry of science and technology on the lines of the utilisation of spectrum, emerging technologies, trends in the broadcasting sector, increasing outreach of TV and radio households, fall-back arrangement for broadcasting during emergencies like disasters and wars.

    According to the draft accessed by Indiantelevision.com, the policy is guided by the vision of a “functional, vibrant, resilient broadcasting sector in the country.”  To keep with the vision, it provides “specific goals, strategies and policy stipulations.” Broader goals as described in the draft include the universal reach of broadcasting, enabling environment for sectoral growth and level playing field, as well as enhanced global outreach.

    Back in December, MIB additional secretary Neerja Sekhar said that the ministry would soon come up with a draft for the much-discussed policy. “Though the consultations on the National Broadcasting Policy were held with the stakeholders and industry some time back, we have been putting together various parts… and (addressing) the emerging issues. I feel that we are getting pretty close to coming up with a draft version,” she had said.

    It was in 2019 that the MIB initiated talks with members of the Indian broadcasting and media industry about formulating a National Broadcast Policy. Although no timeframe was given, the ministry had said that the aim of the policy would be to address issues that are challenging the sector, with the aim of promoting more self-regulation.

    At present, the broadcast industry is regulated by the Cable TV Act, which many stakeholders consider outdated and inadequate to govern the newer challenges in this rapidly growing sector.

  • Throwback2020: DD’s importance stood out this year

    Throwback2020: DD’s importance stood out this year

    NEW DELHI: 2020 was a challenging year for public broadcasting. But it was also the year when public broadcasting made its presence felt and reminded people of the reason it exists. That the mission was fulfilled at the peak of the pandemic, when everything was paralyzed, but Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) continued their services uninterruptedly.

    Unfortunately, we lost some colleagues to the pandemic. Our reporters tested positive for the coronavirus while they were out in the field. So in that sense, public broadcasting went through the test of times.

    One key area where public broadcasting came through was in delivering social messages and creating awareness about the pandemic. Doordarshan emerged as the top five social advertisers, which underscores the value of public messages put out by us. We also saw record viewership ratings in the early days of the lockdown.

    Then, the tele-classes on Doordarshan ensured that the academic year did not go waste for students from far-flung areas. India is blessed with the only free to air satellite platform DD FreeDish, reaching thirty-five million plus households. With thirty plus Doordarshan channels and fifty-one educational channels, we have eighty-six channels delivering tele-classes across different languages.

    This year reminded us why people tune into Doordarshan. It remains the only platform where the entire family can come together and watch iconic content, no matter which region they belong to. This will be our focus going forward- to create selective iconic content that is not only a part of the heritage of the country but will appeal to the entire population and becomes a benchmark for the decades to come. Content like Mahabharata, Ramayana, Shaktimaan, which have a recall value that spans decades.

    But it’s not just content, but also a question of production values. People, especially youth, have high expectations. The benchmark is, what they call ‘over the top (OTT) quality,’ coupled with the latest use of technologies, graphics, and visual effects. We will try to ensure that the projects we work on bring in those elements.

    At the same time, we need to acknowledge that public broadcasters operate on public funds. There are constraints. So it cannot invest in the same manner that a private sector media house could do.

    NewsOnAir application proved to be a dramatic game-changer this year on the radio front, just like DD FreeDish proved to be a game-changer on the television front. It ensured that traditional radio listening is no longer restricted to the terrestrial reach of the transmitters. Now, it does not matter where you are, you can listen to your favourite channel. It has changed radio listening habits for audiences across the world.

    It also brought all radio services of AIR under one umbrella. Unlike TV where everything is uplinked in the satellite so you can monitor what is going on, with radio, it used to be restricted to that particular radius of a few kilometres. But, now we can tune into any of the radio stations among the 200 livestreams. It has also brought a degree of transparency and accountability.

    We also saw Doordarshan regional channels discovering life beyond the satellite way of traditional broadcasting. From our TV rating standpoint, they may be struggling with the private channels, because there are hundreds of channels, so it’s a huge challenge for a public broadcaster to stand out. However, on the digital side, each of these channels has acquired a distinct place. Several of them crossed half a billion subscriber base on YouTube, because of teleclasses being available on demand.

    I have a special mention for north-east Doordarshan because it saw dramatic growth in the news this year. The news was available in languages that were otherwise not available in Garo, Khasi, and Assamese. DD News Guwahati and DD News Shillong performed very well digitally as youth increasingly consumed content through the internet and smartphones.

    Apart from that, the most interesting thing has been the DD archives. In order to take full advantage of the nostalgia, we had started putting the archival content online, digitising it and making it available online. Old plays, old serials, old songs, all content will be made available. So it has driven renewed interest in regional languages.

    On the revenue side, the income was fairly steady, except for some disruptions, on the radio side. There were some hiccups for DD FreeDish too and some channels had to leave, but many new channels came on board, including three movie channels in the recent auction. Overall DD FreeDish remains on a steady path and a source of substantial revenue.

    On the advertising side, we definitely saw an uptick in commercial advertising because of the renewed interest in Mahabharata. But some of the biggest sporting events did not happen, so that was a disappointment. Hopefully, we will catch up in 2021.

    (Shashi Shekhar Vempati is the CEO of Prasar Bharati. This is an excerpt from a conversation he had with Srishti Choudhary)

  • TRP scam: Mumbai Court grants bail to Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani

    TRP scam: Mumbai Court grants bail to Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani

    NEW DELHI: In a major relief to the private channel, Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandhani has been granted bail by the Mumbai court, in the alleged TRP manipulation scam. Khanchandani was picked from his home on Sunday and was sent to 14-day judicial custody by the Metropolitan Magistrate court at Esplanade on Tuesday.

    Khanchandani was the 13th arrest in the case after the alleged scam was busted by the Mumbai Police in October. Earlier, the channel’s head of distribution Ghansham Singh was also arrested in the same case. His name also appeared in the charge sheet prepared by the Mumbai Police department.

    The charge sheet in the case names 140 witnesses, including forensic auditors and members of BARC or Broadcast Audience Research Council, which assesses ratings.

    Republic TV maintains that the arrests have been made in a matter of vendetta by the Mumbai police over their critical reportage in the Sushant Singh Rajput case.