ITV

Tag: cable TV channels

  • SureWaves to tie-up with 50 cable TV channels

    SureWaves to tie-up with 50 cable TV channels

    KOLKATA: Having tied-up with over 300 local cable TV channels, Bangalore-based digital media-technology company SureWaves MediaTech now aims to have another 50 cable TV channels for integrated advertisement aggregation.

     

    “We plan to reach out to all cable TV channels in the country. At present, we have tied up with 300 channel partners. It is a continuous process. With time, aggregation with the remaining channels will take place,” SureWaves head strategy and regional director-south, Nishant Nair, told indiantelevision.com.

     

    SureWaves MediaTech offers the SureWaves Media Grid, an integrated advertisement aggregation, content delivery, network management, media planning, and reporting platform. The company positions a proprietary device that is connected to the grid and the TV channels. SureWaves provides real-time data monitoring of ads, which has made cable TV advertising accountable for the first time; according to Nair.

     

     The company collaborates with local channels owned by multi-system operators (MSOs). “We are not interested in tying up with local cable operators who have channels as we are not sure about the quality of these channels,” said Nair. “SureWaves is already on its way to becoming a game-changer in the way geo-targeted advertising currently works in the country.”

     

     With digitisation picking up pace, the number of satellite channels in the country is expected to grow and SureWaves plans to approach these channels to extend its solution. At present, around 150 brands such as HUL, Wipro, Dabur, Parle, Aircel, Vodafone, Nestle and Honda are utilising SureWaves’ services.

     

     “We are also targeting national advertisers, who want to reach all the markets,” said Nair. The television advertising spend is around Rs 15,000 crore and the eastern region, primarily dominated by West Bengal, accounts for nearly 20 per cent of the TV advertisement market.

     

     Just last month, SureWaves started its Kolkata operations and is betting on the Kolkata market for growth. The company currently has over 75 employees.

  • I&B sees need to regulate local cable TV channels, seeks Trai’s views

    I&B sees need to regulate local cable TV channels, seeks Trai’s views

    MUMBAI: Alarmed by the mushrooming of cable channels, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has sought the recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regarding issues relating to transmission of local channels or ground based channels operated at the level of cable TV operator/MSOs.

    In its reference to Trai, the MIB has sought to know whether there was a need to put in place a comprehensive set of provisions for local channels which would cover issues related to registration mechanism, including eligibility requirements, fee, terms and conditions to be provided for such channels, including the definition of local or ground based channels and their area of operation.

    In the reference to Trai, MIB has also sought its views with regard to the issue of transmission of local channels at local cable operator level in Digital Addressable System (DAS) regime.

    Trai in its recommendations dated 25 July, 2008 had recommended that Local Channel Operators (LCOs) shall be permitted to transmit their ground based channels.

    However, in the current DAS regime only digital addressable signals can be carried out on the cable network which is generated at the MSO head end.

    The Ministry in its reference has also requested Trai to state whether there was a case for putting a cap on the total number of ground based channels operated by a single MSO/cable operator.

    Trai has also been requested to examine whether there was a need to prescribe separate eligibility criteria for cable operators transmitting local news and current affairs channels at their level.

    Specific recommendations have been sought with regard to eligibility criteria, terms and conditions including foreign investment levels, net worth criteria and requirement of security clearance etc. for such channels.
     
    The need for putting in place a regulatory framework for local channels being operated at the level of cable TV operators has been engaging attention of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for quite some time.

    This has assumed a greater significance in view of the digitisation of cable TV sector being implemented in the entire country in a phased time bound manner. Presently, Cable TV operators/MSOs are transmitting local news, videos and other locally developed content as separate televisions channels in addition to satellite TV channels obtained from broadcasters.

    These channels, popularly known as local channels, are presently not subject to a regulatory framework unlike private satellite TV channels permitted under the uplinking/downlinking guidelines of the Ministry. As a result, local channels continue to mushroom all over the country without having registration /license.

    Since the area/jurisdiction within which the programme generated at the level of cable operators can be transmitted has not been defined in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, it is possible for Local Cable Operators (LCOs)/Multi System Operators (MSOs) operating at the local levels to broadcast local channels over a larger geographical area i.e at Regional/State/National level by transmitting the same content over their entire network.

    Instances have been brought to the notice of the Ministry that some cable operators are also venturing into transmission of local channels over wider geographical area which includes inter-state and intra state transmission by sharing the same content with others on their network. In such a scenario, local channels are basically operating as State/Regional/National channels like permitted private satellite TV channels without getting any permission.

    The intent of allowing cable operators to generate and transmit local programme is to keep the local people informed of relevant local issues. However this intent is not fulfilled when LCOs and MSOs start networking of the content to cover a larger geographical area. Given the present state of technological advancement, the tendency to network content at a larger geographical area has gained strength, the MIB said in a statement.

  • CAS: Govt populism may force low prices

    CAS: Govt populism may force low prices

    NEW DELHI: Popular pay TV channels at prices below Rs. 10 (Rs. 47=1US$) each for Indian cable TV subscribers?

    Might be hard to believe, but may become a reality if the Indian broadcast regulator succumbs to pressures from the government to keep cable TV prices at present level in a CAS-enabled regime.

    According to information available, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) is likely to announce later today prices of pay channels that may look ridiculously low.

    Sources in the regulatory body indicated that there’s immense pressure from the government (read the information and broadcasting ministry) to keep cable TV subscription at affordable levels when addressability is rolled out from 1 January 2007.

    Presently, an Indian household shells out between Rs. 150 to Rs. 400 on an average per month for cable TV channels ranging between 30 to 100 depending on the locality of residence.

    The present mantra is simple: posh-er the area, higher the subscription fee.

    It is leant that the I&B ministry is in favour of pricing popular pay channels (Star Plus, Zee TV, Sony, HBO, Star Movies, ESPN and Star Sports, for example) at prices that would be affordable and keep the average monthly outflow to around Rs. 170 (exclusive of free to air channels).

    If this formula is taken into account, then most popular TV channels — most of which are pay — have to be priced around Rs. 5 or below Rs. 10 to cater to the varied taste.

    Out of the 265 TV channels that the government recognizes — 65 have applied for landing rights and the rest uplink from India — approximately 70 are pay channels.

    As per a court mandate, agreed upon by the government and industry stakeholders, CAS is to be implemented in the south zones of Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai from midnight of 31 December 2006.

    Sector regulator, buffeted between demands from the government and the industry, has to announce prices of pay and free-to-air channels (basic tier in an addressable regime) by the evening of 31 August to adhere to a Delhi court-mandated sequencing of CAS rollout.

    It needs to be seen whether Trai will give a go-ahead to the prices submitted by various pay channels (most bouquets have given wholesale prices) or decides to go in for a maximum retail price (MRP) in case it finds them unreasonable.

    According to a report put out by the Press Trust of India (PTI) on 10 August, I&B minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi informed Rajya Sabha (Upper House) that television viewers will have to pay less under a CAS regime.

    There would be no charges on free-to air channels, the minister had said, adding the viewers would pay according to pay channels they opt for instead of paying a fixed tariff varying from Rs. 150 to Rs. 300 per month currently.