ITV

Tag: cable TV

  • Resolution in sight for Guwahati electricity pole charge dispute

    Resolution in sight for Guwahati electricity pole charge dispute

    MUMBAI: The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) and Greater Guwahati Cable TV Operators’ Association (GGCTOA) are finally coming to a resolution over payment of a fee for use of electricity poles in Guwahati.

     

    The issue first cropped up in September 2013, after the APDCL decided to charge cable TV operators in Guwahati for using electric poles to lay cable wires.

     

    The first step towards resolution of the issue was taken on 6 March, when representatives from APDCL and GGCTOA met and agreed to together conduct a survey to ascertain the number of electricity poles in the Guwahati region.

     

    It can be recalled that when GGCTOA moved the Guwahati High Court on the issue of APDCL’s decision to levy a charge for use of electricity poles, the court had asked the GGCTOA to pay Rs 10 per electricity pole per month for the period 22 January to 28 February.

    The last date for the payment of the fee as directed by the high court was 26 February.

     

    APDCL had thereafter said cable operators are using a total of 33,000 electricity poles in Guwahati. The GGCTOA challenged APDCL’s claim and demanded that a joint survey be conducted on the number of electricity poles being used by cable operators.

     

    Even after the court directive, the settlement of the dispute was not a smooth affair. The GGCTOA paid Rs 1 lakh of the Rs 3 lakh that they had to pay the APDCL in compliance with the HC order. The association, however, threatened to disconnect cable TV signals on 25 February to press for a survey of electricity poles in Guwahati. Assam’s power minister Pradyut Bordoloi intervened and also granted more time for the association to pay the balance charges to APDCL as directed by the court.

     

    “We now have time until 15 March to clear the electric pole fee,” informs GGCTOA general secretary Md Iquebal Ahmed.

     

    APDCL and GGCTOA will start a joint survey from Monday, 10 March to ascertain the number of electricity poles being used by cable operators.

     

    “In the meeting that was held on Thursday, we have suggested two rates to the APDCL: Rs 10 per electric pole, where we will have exclusive collection rights to collect electric pole fee from the cable operator and also the other players including the telecom and ISPs or Rs 6 per electric pole, in which we will not have any such exclusive right and will pay to the APDCL for using the electric pole for laying cable TV wires,” said Ahmed.

     

    The GGCTOA has also requested the APDCL to come out with payment modalities for the association. “APDCL expects us to collect the fee from the cable operators. For all this, we will need to deploy a work force. We have asked the electricity board to work out a formula which will help us pay wages to these members involved in survey and collection of electric pole fee,” he said.

     

    The association has agreed to pay electricity pole charge for 10,000 poles on adhoc basis for the month of March until the joint survey is completed.

     

    Not only this, the APDCL also needs to specify the safety measures the cable operators’ association needs to take. “While they have asked us to bear the expenses of the safety equipments needed for the safety and security of the electrical wires, we have asked them to provide us the specifications of the design and the estimated expense. We will decide on whether we will alone bear the expense or will share the expenses with APDCL, after they give us the estimates,” said Ahmed.

  • Mahesan Kaisarajan appointed Arasu TV MD

    Mahesan Kaisarajan appointed Arasu TV MD

    BENGALURU: The Tamil Nadu government today announced the transfer and appointment of Mahesan Kaisarajan as the Director of Information and Public Relations and Managing Director of Arasu Cable TV Corporation.

     

    Kaisarajan has also been posted as ex-officio Additional Secretary to Government, Tamil Nadu Development and Information Department.

     

    Kaisarajan, who was previously Director of Sugar and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Sugar Corporation, replaces J Kumaragurubaran, who held the post of Director of Information and Public Relations and Ex-officio Joint Secretary to Government, Tamil Nadu Development and Information Department.

                                    

    Kaisarajan, an Indian Administrative Service office, is a post graduate in commerce, a cost accountant and a graduate in law.

  • TRAI plea in SC for raising pay channel tariff cap

    TRAI plea in SC for raising pay channel tariff cap

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has petitioned the Supreme Court to allow it to raise the ceiling on tariff for pay channels distributed in non-addressable areas.

     

    The tariff for pay channels in areas where cable TV is distributed through analogue technology has remained capped at the pre-2009 rates, following a direction by the Supreme Court in March 2009 for maintenance of status quo.

     

    TRAI says there is a need for reviewing the ceiling to adjust the tariff for pay channels in non-addressable areas for inflation.

     

    The court is likely to hear the TRAI plea towards the end of March.

     

    TRAI in its appeal to the SC says, “The present tariff was based on the figures of 2009 and the appellant is of the view that an across the board adjustments be provided in respect of tariff to compensate for increased costs on account of inflation.”

     

    The TRAI had amended the tariff order of 2007 by providing for a 7 per cent increase on account of inflation effective from the year 2009.

     

    TRAI says, “The authority since then has not been able to revise the tariff for non-addressable systems, even though more than five years have passed.”

     

    Before 2009, the tariff orders were amended periodically, thereby providing for adjustments for inflation.  No such exercise has been undertaken after 2009.

     

    The TRAI through its appeal has informed the Supreme Court that it had in its ‘Recommendations on Issues relating to Broadcasters and Distribution of TV Channels’ provided for a provision to periodically review the ceiling on tariff to make adjustments for inflation.

     

    “According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a substantial increase in the price has taken place and the ceiling thus needs to be reviewed immediately,” reads TRAI’s appeal to the SC, a copy of which is with Indiantelevision.com.

     

    According to the current tariff ceiling, the subscriber for up to 20 pay channels and minimum 30 free to air (FTA) channels in A1 and A class cities has to pay not more than Rs 160, in B1 and B class cities not exceeding Rs 140 and in other areas not more than Rs 130.

     

    Likewise for more than 20 and up to 30 pay channels and minimum 30 FTA channels, the subscriber in A1 and A class cities has to pay not more than Rs 200, in B1 and B class cities not exceeding Rs 170 and in other areas not more than Rs 160.

     

    For viewing more than 30 and up to 45 pay channels, the subscriber as per the tariff has to pay not exceeding Rs 235 in A1 and A class cities, Rs 200 in B1 and B class cities and not exceeding Rs 185 in other cities.

     

    Also for viewing more than 45 pay channels and minimum 30 FTA channels, subscribers, according to the current ceiling on tariff, has to pay not more than Rs 260 in A1 and A class cities, Rs 220 in B1 and B class cities and Rs 200 in other cities.

     

    While the broadcasters would welcome over the appeal by TRAI, but cable operators feel the subscription charges for consumers in non-addressable areas will rise by as much as 36 per cent if the ceiling is approved.

  • Paramount Channel sets sail for Russia and Hungary

    Paramount Channel sets sail for Russia and Hungary

    MUMBAI: After its launch in Spain and France, Paramount Channel is now looking at making inroads into the Russian and Hungarian market this month.

     

    In Russia, Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has secured carriage for the service with Rostelecom, which operates the country’s largest cable TV network. The deal is for a Russian-language version of Paramount Channel to be available to Interactive TV subscribers as part of the Movie and Maximum packages. Paramount Channel HD will also be available to Rostelecom viewers.

     

    In Hungary, a distribution agreement has been signed with affiliate partners Tarr Kft., P R Telekom, Invitel and Magyar Telekom to launch a localised feed of the channel.

     

    Paramount Channel launched in Spain in 2012 and in France in 2013. The channel offers a selection of films from the Paramount Pictures library. In Hungary, the lineup will be expanded to include contemporary classics from other American film studios and some of the best in European movies from the last few decades.

     

    The channel is delighted that Russia and Hungary will be amongst the first markets globally to introduce the brand and its world class lineup of films to pay-TV audiences. The market will be a strong and complementary addition to the channel portfolio and will help it continue to grow its share of key audiences in these important European markets.

  • News Nation readies second channel launch as it celebrates first anniversary

    News Nation readies second channel launch as it celebrates first anniversary

    MUMBAI: As the country heads into general elections, there’s a regional Hindi news channel being added.

     

    As it celebrates its first anniversary today, News Nation, a national Hindi news channel, has geared up to enter the regional news channel space with the launch of a channel for the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

     

    News Nation’s news channel for Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand is all set to be launched on 19 February. The new channel already has 200 employees on board. The dry runs of the news channel are on but the name of the channel has not yet been disclosed.

     

    The Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand channel will operate from two main offices in Lucknow and Dehradun and have bureaus in 10 other cities, including in Varanasi, Jhansi, Meerut and Agra.

     

    News Nation’s Senior Editor Ranjeet Kumar will be the editorial head of the Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand channel.

     

    The channel on the launch day will be available to all cable TV viewers in the two states as well as to subscribers of DTH television service provider Freedish.

     

    News Nation has invested almost Rs 50 crore in its second news channel. A marketing campaign for the new channel, like in the case of News Nation, will follow a month after the launch.

     

    The new channel will initially be free of advertisements. “We have a rule that we let the people sample the content we have, get the ratings and then reach out to advertisers,” says News Nation CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Shailesh Kumar.

     

    The programming of the channel will be youth focussed. The vibrant colours of the two states will reflect in the logo as compared to the neutral logo of the national channel.

     

    The Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand news channel will not have the usual programming focussed on entertainment, crime and astrology. The channel will have hard news but minus any sensationalism. “You can compare News Nation to any international channel,” says Kumar buoyantly.

     

    The network has ambitious plans to expand its presence in the country. “We are currently studying markets to identify areas that are lacking good quality news channels and after that we will choose our locations,” says Kumar. He also added that there is no restriction on staying just in the Hindi Speaking Market (HSM).

     

    According to TAM data provided by the channel, News Nation has garnered an average of 68 TVTs between weeks 3 and 6 for CS 15+ age group in the HSM.

     

    News Nation is looking at signing annual advertisement deals with various clients before the election season sets in. Currently, it only has four to five minutes of advertising per hour.

     

    After having built a credible space for itself within a year, News Nation is optimistic that its first regional channel will also achieve similar success.

     

    “The road for us was not easy as this is an extremely cluttered genre. We clearly understood that there was a need for a Hindi news channel which was aggressive yet relevant, a channel based on pure news content yet blooming with new ideas and therefore, we came up with News Nation and within months of its launch it crossed over its competitors in terms of ratings,” says Kumar.

  • Expected economic recovery to benefit media and entertainment industry: Ind-Ra report

    Expected economic recovery to benefit media and entertainment industry: Ind-Ra report

    MUMBAI: Future seems to be optimistic for the Indian media and entertainment sector, at least that is what the India Ratings & Research (Ind-Ra) report says. The agency has revised the outlook on the media and entertainment sector for FY15 and it expects improvements in advertisement spending (ad spending) by corporates with a gradual economic recovery, eventually making the industry stable from negative.

     

    The upcoming elections will also contribute to the increase in ad-spending in the Q4-FY14 and Q1-FY15. The agency maintains a “stable outlook” for most of Ind-Ra rated entities for FY15.

    High newsprint prices due to currency movements along with limited capacity to pass on cost increases to end-consumers could continue to impact the profitability of print media players dependent on imported newsprint in FY15. However, some comfort is drawn from the expected improvement in ad revenue. 

    Increasing digitisation of cable TV distribution in FY15 will increase subscription revenue for broadcasters and multi system operators (MSO), which would positively impact their business profile with reduced dependence on cyclical ad revenue. However, the agency believes timely completion of the digitisation regime remains the key as the capex undertaken by cable operators and direct-to-home operators towards distribution of set-top boxes will be monetised fully once the digitisation drive is complete. 

    Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) proposal for increasing foreign direct investment limits in the broadcasting sector, if implemented, could lead to increased investor interest in the sector. Investor interest would also be boosted by the digitisation impact. 

    Ind-Ra expects print and TV media will continue to dominate the industry, commanding a major chunk of the ad spend over the medium term. However, online ad spend would be the fastest growing segment on the back of increasing penetration of Internet and Internet-enabled hand-held devices coupled with changing lifestyles.  
     

     

    Ind-Ra does not envisage a positive outlook for the industry, given the industry’s continued strong dependence on ad revenue and only a moderate economic recovery expected in FY15. However, timely implementation of digitisation coupled with deleveraging of MSOs could result in a positive outlook as also a fall in newsprint prices. 
     

    Lower economic growth unable to give a boost to corporate ad spending could result in a negative outlook. Furthermore, an increase in newsprint cost further straining profitability and impacting credit profiles could also result in a negative outlook.

  • TRAI says 44% of DTH subscribers inactive

    TRAI says 44% of DTH subscribers inactive

    MUMBAI: Direct-to-home television service providers appear to be having a tough time retaining their subscribers. A large portion of their registered subscribers are inactive.

     

    Of the total registered subscriber base of 60.71 million of the six DTH companies as on 30 September, 2013, the number of active subscribers was just 34.26 million (or 56 per cent), according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s quarterly report titled ‘The Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators’.

     

    The DTH subscriber base as on 30 September 2013 was three per cent more than a quarter ago.

     

    The report said the number of internet subscribers (excluding internet access by mobile devices) has increased 1.38 per cent  from 21.89 million at the end of June 2013 to 22.19 million at the end of September 2013.

     

    The number of broadband subscribers has also risen. The figure went up from 15.20 million in June to 15.35 million in September, thus registering a quarterly growth of 0.99 per cent and year-on-year (y-o-y) growth of 4.52 per cent. That apart, the number of narrowband subscribers (except internet access by mobile devices) increased from 6.69 million to 6.84 million, registering a quarterly growth of 2.25 per cent from a quarter ago.

     

    The report also mentions that the number of private satellite TV channels as permitted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is 784, of which 187 are pay channels. The maximum number of TV channels (Pay, FTA and Local) being carried by any of the reported Multi System Operators (MSOs) is 218 whereas in the conventional analogue form, maximum number of channels being carried by any of the reported MSOs is 100 channels.

     

    As per the report, the number of telephone subscribers has decreased from 903.09 million at the end of June 2013 to 899.86 million at the end of September 2013, thus registering a negative growth of 0.36 per cent over the previous quarter. “This reflects y-o-y negative growth of 4.03 per cent over the same quarter last year,” states the TRAI report.

     

    The report also highlights a net decline of 2.78 million telephone subscribers during the quarter. “The total wireless (GSM + CDMA) subscriber base has decreased from 873.36 million to 870.58 million, registering a negative growth rate of 0.32 per cent over the previous quarter. The y-o-y negative growth rate of wireless subscribers for September is 3.97 per cent,” says the report.

     

     The number of subscribers who accessed internet using a mobile device is 188.20 million during the quarter ending September 2013.

  • Tony D’silva to spearhead Hinduja Group’s media business

    Tony D’silva to spearhead Hinduja Group’s media business

    MUMBAI: Cable TV industry is undergoing major changes and in this wave of change has come a shocker. IndusInd Media & Communications Ltd. (IMCL) managing director Ravi Mansukhani, has stepped down from his position. Mansukhani, who has been associated with IMCL for more than seven years, had earlier expressed the desire to relinquish his services, which was accepted by the board of directors in the board meeting held on 31 January.

     

    “Yes, I have stepped down,” confirmed Mansukhani without commenting further.

     

    The board has now appointed Tony D’silva as IMCL MD and CEO with immediate effect and also approved certain other key management changes. D’silva who is currently the president of Hinduja Ventures Limited (HVL) has also been re-designated as Group CEO- media of HVL. As Group CEO –media and MD and CEO of IMCL, D’silva will hold the responsibility to restructure entire media business and value creation.

     

    It is notable that HVL is restructuring its media vertical in order to enhance synergy across its various media initiatives. And to support this initiative, Rs 300 crore is being invested in the media business.

     

    D’silva has been associated with HVL for the past one and a half years and comes with more than four decades of rich experience spread across media, FMCG and pharma sectors holding senior positions. He has a creditable track record of setting up and scaling up media ventures. D’silva began his media foray in 1992 as Modi Entertainment CEO and in 1997 helped Zee TV launch its international business in UK. Upon his return to India in 2001, he joined Star as executive VP and consolidated its TV business. He joined the Sun Group in 2007 to set up Sun Direct DTH as CEO, and then took over as the Group CEO, overseeing its entire media business including TV, print and radio.

  • First Indian Digital TV Honours on 28 Jan

    First Indian Digital TV Honours on 28 Jan

    MUMBAI: 2013 was a watershed year for the cable TV and DTH industry, what with the the entire TV industry – cable TV operators, MSOs, DTH players –  working on going into overdrive, pushing the government’s digital addressable system (DAS – digitisation) mandate. There were big developments and even bigger initiatives, and it is with a view to recognising and rewarding such endeavours as well as the individuals and organisations behind them that Indiantelevision.com has instituted a first-of-its-kind initiative called ‘The Indian Digital TV Honours’, to be held on Tuesday 28 January at The Lalit, New Delhi.

     

    The list of best practices and worthy winners has been compiled by an advisory board comprising senior executives, industry veterans and the indiantelevision.com editorial team led by founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari.

     

    According to Media Partners Asia executive director and co-founder and member of the advisory board Vivek Couto, The Indian Digital TV Honours is a laudable effort as it will go a long way in encouraging individuals to accelerate the development of the industry.  “That’s because it seeks to recognize the achievement, innovation and vision of the stakeholders,” he says.”

     

    Media observer and consultant and member of the advisory board Sanjeev Hiremath adds: “It is an encouraging initiative by Indiantelevision.com. It is a way to both support and encourage the implementation of DAS. I am glad that a platform like this has been set up by the Indiantelevision team.”

     

    BCCL president corporate development (and member of the advisory board) Sunil Lulla believes there was a need to acknowledge the manner in which television distribution is changing. “I am glad that there is another first from Indiantelevision.com. Acknowledgement is needed. Though the switch from analog to digital will take time, encouragement is needed.”

     

    Chrome Data Analytics and Media founder and MD Pankaj Krishna joins his peers in lauding the effort. “I am sure pretty soon, others will follow it too. One must remember that digitisation is very critical to us now and with the change in wind, the transition from analog to digital is going to become crucial. In short, it is like the change from Kodak film roll which we used 10 years ago to a digicam, which has become a part of our lives now.”

     

    So how did the advisory board select the winners? Says Wanvari: “We had detailed discussions with various stakeholders in the industry, to come up with a filtered list of top achievements to which the advisory members also contributed.”

     

    Adds Lulla: “A list was given to us comprising names of people and companies that have made a difference to digitisation from various points of view like preparedness, initiatives taken, consumers, success etc. So, I looked at these from various perspectives like who made it simple for consumers, who followed the regulations, which company or person drove the change and so on…”

     

    What were the criteria for selection? Couto anwers: “The criteria were simple. Any stakeholder or regulator who has ushered in development through investment, leadership or a combination of both to accelerate quality content and infrastructure for consumers will feature in the list.”

     

    The entire selection process took almost a month for the advisory board. Hiremath, who identified categories to honour key initiatives, says: “This is going to be an exciting and interesting event.”

     

    According to Hiremath and Couto, while the first edition will honour well-known names from the industry, the awards will only get bigger and better with time.

     

    “We will see OTT players, software developers, app developers and many others entering the ecosystem in the future,” Couto rounds off.
     

    The Event is: 

    Powered by Partner:  Den

    Associate Partners: Hathway, Surewaves, Videocon D2H

    Support Partner: SES, The One Alliance

    Media Partner: India News

    Thanks to HBO Defined and HBO Hits for the support

    Online Media Partners: Radioandmusic.com, Tellychakkar.com

    Event Executed By: ITV2.0 Productions

    An Initiative By: Indiantelevision.com

  • The Times Now, India News blackout in Uttar Pradesh

    The Times Now, India News blackout in Uttar Pradesh

    MUMBAI: Two major news channels – Times Now and India News – were blacked out over the weekend in Uttar Pradesh, following their criticism of  the lavish Saifai Mahotsav ceremony by the Akhilesh Yadav-run government in the state. The black out of the two channels was done following unofficial orders from government officials, local cable TV operators have confessed to the media.  However, both Times Now and India News were back on most cable TV networks in the state, though the latter was was still not available in Lucknow and Faizabad, at the time of writing.

     

    The black out  has disturbed both the government and the news broadcast industry. Information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari candidly remarked yesterday that his ministry would fast track TRAI’s recommendations on cable TV monopolies in various states to prevent operators from misusing their dominance. 

     

    Times Television Network CEO Sunil Lulla spoke to indiantelevision.com, saying that the issue was a matter of fundamental rights. “We completely echo the thoughts of the minister on monopolisation. There cannot be any arbitrariness,” he says. 

     

    India News which is a Hindi channel says that nearly 25 per cent of its viewership comes from UP. And, it lost a large part of that in the past two days.  “Our channel has been switched off since 10 January and although no one is coming out in the open we have heard that they have been ordered to do so. Our channel is still missing in Lucknow and Faizabad which are important strongholds. So, we are still discussing with the local cable TV ops to get it back on as soon as possible,” says ITV Network (India News and News X) CEO R K Arora. 

     

    Some fingers have been pointed toward MSO DEN Networks which has a large share of cable TV subscribers in Uttar Pradesh for giving into government pressure and switching off the two channels. However, DEN COO M. Azhar disagrees that there was any pressure from any quarter. Pooh-poohing claims that there was a large scale blackout from his network, he says that it was restricted to only a few local cable TV operators. 

     

    “All channels are now running on our network and it was only a few people who had done it for sometime but now everything is restored,” he says. 

     

    Lulla, while agreeing that his channel has been restored, states that “a standard process needs to be followed by both the broadcaster as well as the MSO and no disconnection can be done without notice. It was probably some state officials who had jumped the gun.”