ITV

Tag: Digital Addressable System

  • New addl secy, advisor in IT Ministry

    New addl secy, advisor in IT Ministry

    NEW DELHI: Anuradha Mitra has been appointed as the additional secretary and financial advisor in the electronics & information technology ministry. Mitra is a 1984 batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service.

    She was until now the joint secretary & financial advisor in the same ministry. She has been assigned the new role by upgrading her position for a period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

    The ministry is in charge of the development of set-top boxes for digital addressable system, and for implementing the Indian conditional access system (iCAS) which has been adopted by Doordarshan’s Freedish DTH platform.

  • New addl secy, advisor in IT Ministry

    New addl secy, advisor in IT Ministry

    NEW DELHI: Anuradha Mitra has been appointed as the additional secretary and financial advisor in the electronics & information technology ministry. Mitra is a 1984 batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service.

    She was until now the joint secretary & financial advisor in the same ministry. She has been assigned the new role by upgrading her position for a period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

    The ministry is in charge of the development of set-top boxes for digital addressable system, and for implementing the Indian conditional access system (iCAS) which has been adopted by Doordarshan’s Freedish DTH platform.

  • DAS Phase IV: IBF asked to up campaign in addition to MIB ads

    DAS Phase IV: IBF asked to up campaign in addition to MIB ads

    NEW DELHI: Digitisation of Indian TV homes, thought to be the panacea for many ills afflicting the broadcasting and cable eco-system, may have slowed down in recent times, but the government is earnest in adhering to deadlines and has sought active involvement of industry bodies like the IBF and other stakeholders in pushing digitisation in laggard States through aggressive consumer education.

    At a meeting of the Task Force on Digital Addressable System (DAS) here yesterday, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) conveyed to all concerned that deadlines and goals posts would not be moved, even while it requested the Indian broadcasting Foundation (IBF) to be more pro-active in educating consumers and stakeholders about digitisation.

    Reports submitted by the various States on the progress with regard to the implementation of DAS in Phase IV showed that Rajasthan, Bihar and Jharkhand were the three most backward states as far as digitisation go.

    The DAS Task Force meeting, held under the chairmanship of new MIB Additional Secretary Jayashree Mukherjee, was told by representative from Uttar Pradesh that cable operators in some districts had complained that digital signals were not available. MIB sought details so that the issue could be examined and resolved.

    Representatives of most other States present at the meeting reported satisfactory progress and claimed they were on track.

    The meeting, which was also addressed by MIB Advisor (DAS) Yogendra Pal and Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) Sanjay Murthy, was apprised by representatives of broadcasters that they had stepped up publicity to create awareness about DAS in the Phase IV areas.

    Phase IV areas, needing approximately 75 million set-top boxes (STBs) as per industry estimates, mostly comprise rural India’s smaller hamlets and towns where selling the idea of digitisation and getting a STB at home itself is considered a challenging task by LCOs, MSOs and other stakeholders.

    Keeping this in mind, IBF was asked by the MIB to shoot off more publicity campaigns in addition to those given by the Ministry so that outreach initiatives could be stepped up further to reach the targeted segments.
    Joint-secretary Murthy apprised those present at the meeting that court cases related to DAS were coming up for hearing before the Delhi High Court early September 2016 and expressed the hope that the court would give a positive decision on the matter quickly.

    Meanwhile, advisor Pal asked MSOs to ensure that inter-connect agreements are signed with the broadcasters as MIB and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had reiterated. The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) too had held that no signals could be supplied until proper inter-connect agreements were in place.

    The MSOs were asked to approach TRAI if they were facing any difficulty in arriving at agreements with broadcasters and LCOs.
    Mukherjee and Pal reiterated that there was no question of putting off the deadline of 31 December 2015 for Phase III as far as the government was concerned.

    The government reiterated that digitization of cable TV systems in the entire country would be — and should be — completed by 31 December 2016.

  • DAS Phase IV: IBF asked to up campaign in addition to MIB ads

    DAS Phase IV: IBF asked to up campaign in addition to MIB ads

    NEW DELHI: Digitisation of Indian TV homes, thought to be the panacea for many ills afflicting the broadcasting and cable eco-system, may have slowed down in recent times, but the government is earnest in adhering to deadlines and has sought active involvement of industry bodies like the IBF and other stakeholders in pushing digitisation in laggard States through aggressive consumer education.

    At a meeting of the Task Force on Digital Addressable System (DAS) here yesterday, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) conveyed to all concerned that deadlines and goals posts would not be moved, even while it requested the Indian broadcasting Foundation (IBF) to be more pro-active in educating consumers and stakeholders about digitisation.

    Reports submitted by the various States on the progress with regard to the implementation of DAS in Phase IV showed that Rajasthan, Bihar and Jharkhand were the three most backward states as far as digitisation go.

    The DAS Task Force meeting, held under the chairmanship of new MIB Additional Secretary Jayashree Mukherjee, was told by representative from Uttar Pradesh that cable operators in some districts had complained that digital signals were not available. MIB sought details so that the issue could be examined and resolved.

    Representatives of most other States present at the meeting reported satisfactory progress and claimed they were on track.

    The meeting, which was also addressed by MIB Advisor (DAS) Yogendra Pal and Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) Sanjay Murthy, was apprised by representatives of broadcasters that they had stepped up publicity to create awareness about DAS in the Phase IV areas.

    Phase IV areas, needing approximately 75 million set-top boxes (STBs) as per industry estimates, mostly comprise rural India’s smaller hamlets and towns where selling the idea of digitisation and getting a STB at home itself is considered a challenging task by LCOs, MSOs and other stakeholders.

    Keeping this in mind, IBF was asked by the MIB to shoot off more publicity campaigns in addition to those given by the Ministry so that outreach initiatives could be stepped up further to reach the targeted segments.
    Joint-secretary Murthy apprised those present at the meeting that court cases related to DAS were coming up for hearing before the Delhi High Court early September 2016 and expressed the hope that the court would give a positive decision on the matter quickly.

    Meanwhile, advisor Pal asked MSOs to ensure that inter-connect agreements are signed with the broadcasters as MIB and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had reiterated. The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) too had held that no signals could be supplied until proper inter-connect agreements were in place.

    The MSOs were asked to approach TRAI if they were facing any difficulty in arriving at agreements with broadcasters and LCOs.
    Mukherjee and Pal reiterated that there was no question of putting off the deadline of 31 December 2015 for Phase III as far as the government was concerned.

    The government reiterated that digitization of cable TV systems in the entire country would be — and should be — completed by 31 December 2016.

  • 9 Indian companies to manufacture STBs; iCAS cost less than $0.5: Govt

    9 Indian companies to manufacture STBs; iCAS cost less than $0.5: Govt

    NEW DELHI: A total of nine private companies have been identified by India’s Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) for manufacturing indigenous set top boxes equipped with Indian Conditional Access System (iCAS).

    However, the government department could not give a time-frame as to when indigenously-manufactured STBs would be ready to address the growing demands for boxes as digital rollout inches towards the finishing line.

    Sources in DeitY said STBs with iCAS is a techno-commercial decision of the operators, but indicated it could coincide with the Phase IV deadline of Digital Addressable System in December this year.

    In the third and fourth phase of ongoing digitisation of TV services in India, industry experts estimate need for approximately 70-80 million boxes.

    DeitY, till recently part of the Communications Ministry but since then sliced away under the charge of minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, had been set up to promote e-Governance for empowering citizens, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth of the electronics, IT & ITeS industries, enhancing India’s role in Internet governance, promoting R&D and innovation and ensuring a secure cyber space.

    The companies identified so far for manufacturing iCAS STBs and with whom ByDesign India Pvt. Ltd. of Bangalore had signed Memorandums of Understanding included New Delhi-based Melbon-Millenium Technologies, Solid-KMTS Engineering Pvt. Ltd, MyBox Technologies Pvt. Ltd and C-Net Communications India Pvt. Ltd.

    The Bangalore-based companies include Smasher Communications Pvt. Ltd and Velankani Electronics Pvt. Ltd, while the others are Exza Info system from Pune, ABS Productions Pvt. Ltd. of Mumbai and Aurangabad-based Videocon.

    ByDesign India Pvt. Ltd. had been shortlisted after a tendering process for the development and implementation of iCAS in association with a government organisation, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

    The development stage of iCAS had been successfully completed as on November 14, 2015.

    As per the agreement with STB manufacturers, ByDesign will make available the developed iCAS to all domestic manufacturers or to the operators at not more than $ 0.5/license (including smart card, if required) for a period of three years.

    Government sources indicated more than 25,000 STBs with iCAS have already been deployed across the country between December 2015 and January 2016.

    DeitY has recently informed a parliamentary committee on information technology that during five months till March 2016, iCAS was presented in various national and regional level conferences/forums. The product received encouraging response both from cable and DTH operators.

    iCAS had been test deployed by 13 operators by March-end at Sandur, Challekere and Ranebennur in Karanataka; Chalisgaon and Wai in Maharashtra; Yeraguntala and Tadapatri in Andhra Pradesh; Madurai in Tamil Nadu; Durgapur in West Bengal; Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh; Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh; Bikaner in Rajasthan

    and Haldwani in Uttarakhand.

    The Department said operators in these towns had confirmed successful deployment of iCAS.

    The installation of the system is in progress at seven more operator locations of Nevada in Bihar; Narayanpur and Leilunga in Chhattisgarh; Ganjam and Bhingarpur in Odisha; Pachora and Daund in Maharashtra.

  • 9 Indian companies to manufacture STBs; iCAS cost less than $0.5: Govt

    9 Indian companies to manufacture STBs; iCAS cost less than $0.5: Govt

    NEW DELHI: A total of nine private companies have been identified by India’s Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) for manufacturing indigenous set top boxes equipped with Indian Conditional Access System (iCAS).

    However, the government department could not give a time-frame as to when indigenously-manufactured STBs would be ready to address the growing demands for boxes as digital rollout inches towards the finishing line.

    Sources in DeitY said STBs with iCAS is a techno-commercial decision of the operators, but indicated it could coincide with the Phase IV deadline of Digital Addressable System in December this year.

    In the third and fourth phase of ongoing digitisation of TV services in India, industry experts estimate need for approximately 70-80 million boxes.

    DeitY, till recently part of the Communications Ministry but since then sliced away under the charge of minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, had been set up to promote e-Governance for empowering citizens, promoting inclusive and sustainable growth of the electronics, IT & ITeS industries, enhancing India’s role in Internet governance, promoting R&D and innovation and ensuring a secure cyber space.

    The companies identified so far for manufacturing iCAS STBs and with whom ByDesign India Pvt. Ltd. of Bangalore had signed Memorandums of Understanding included New Delhi-based Melbon-Millenium Technologies, Solid-KMTS Engineering Pvt. Ltd, MyBox Technologies Pvt. Ltd and C-Net Communications India Pvt. Ltd.

    The Bangalore-based companies include Smasher Communications Pvt. Ltd and Velankani Electronics Pvt. Ltd, while the others are Exza Info system from Pune, ABS Productions Pvt. Ltd. of Mumbai and Aurangabad-based Videocon.

    ByDesign India Pvt. Ltd. had been shortlisted after a tendering process for the development and implementation of iCAS in association with a government organisation, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC).

    The development stage of iCAS had been successfully completed as on November 14, 2015.

    As per the agreement with STB manufacturers, ByDesign will make available the developed iCAS to all domestic manufacturers or to the operators at not more than $ 0.5/license (including smart card, if required) for a period of three years.

    Government sources indicated more than 25,000 STBs with iCAS have already been deployed across the country between December 2015 and January 2016.

    DeitY has recently informed a parliamentary committee on information technology that during five months till March 2016, iCAS was presented in various national and regional level conferences/forums. The product received encouraging response both from cable and DTH operators.

    iCAS had been test deployed by 13 operators by March-end at Sandur, Challekere and Ranebennur in Karanataka; Chalisgaon and Wai in Maharashtra; Yeraguntala and Tadapatri in Andhra Pradesh; Madurai in Tamil Nadu; Durgapur in West Bengal; Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh; Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh; Bikaner in Rajasthan

    and Haldwani in Uttarakhand.

    The Department said operators in these towns had confirmed successful deployment of iCAS.

    The installation of the system is in progress at seven more operator locations of Nevada in Bihar; Narayanpur and Leilunga in Chhattisgarh; Ganjam and Bhingarpur in Odisha; Pachora and Daund in Maharashtra.

  • MSOs, LCOs alerted to get ready for Phase IV DAS, applications for registration by 30 April

    MSOs, LCOs alerted to get ready for Phase IV DAS, applications for registration by 30 April

    New Delhi, 29 March: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has urged multi-system operators to apply by 30 April in case they want to supply signals in the areas falling under Phase IV of digital addressable system.

    In an advertisement also addressed to cable operators who want to become MSOs, the Ministry has said this is necessary as adequate time is needed for registration, and for the MSOs to be ready by 31 December this year when analogue is expected to be switched off all over the country.

    It has also been pointed out that Section 11A of Cable Television Rules 1994 is clear that any stakeholder desirous of providing television DAS signals in a notified area have to be registered as MSO with the Ministry.

    Attention has also been drawn to the notification of 11 September 2014 which gave the final deadline for the various phases and stated that digitization in IV Phase has to be completed by 31 December this year.

    The advertisement has also been placed on the website digitalindiamib.com whch can also be accessed through the main mib.nic.in.

    Stakeholders have been asked to get full details from these websites, and also have the option of calling toll-free number 1800-180-4343.
     

     

  • MSOs, LCOs alerted to get ready for Phase IV DAS, applications for registration by 30 April

    MSOs, LCOs alerted to get ready for Phase IV DAS, applications for registration by 30 April

    New Delhi, 29 March: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has urged multi-system operators to apply by 30 April in case they want to supply signals in the areas falling under Phase IV of digital addressable system.

    In an advertisement also addressed to cable operators who want to become MSOs, the Ministry has said this is necessary as adequate time is needed for registration, and for the MSOs to be ready by 31 December this year when analogue is expected to be switched off all over the country.

    It has also been pointed out that Section 11A of Cable Television Rules 1994 is clear that any stakeholder desirous of providing television DAS signals in a notified area have to be registered as MSO with the Ministry.

    Attention has also been drawn to the notification of 11 September 2014 which gave the final deadline for the various phases and stated that digitization in IV Phase has to be completed by 31 December this year.

    The advertisement has also been placed on the website digitalindiamib.com whch can also be accessed through the main mib.nic.in.

    Stakeholders have been asked to get full details from these websites, and also have the option of calling toll-free number 1800-180-4343.
     

     

  • News broadcasters’ expectations from the Union Budget 2016

    News broadcasters’ expectations from the Union Budget 2016

    MUMBAI: As another budget looms ahead of us, expectations are high riding especially amongst the Indian news broadcasters. The budget will be presented by the Finance Minister on 29 February, 2016 and almost every segment has a set of expectations. To get a better perspective of what news broadcasters’ aspirations are from this year’s allotment, Indiantelevision.com spoke to a few stalwarts from the industry.

    Times Network MD and CEO MK Anand says, “Digitisation in general and the rollout of Digital Addressable System (DAS) in the Phase III and IV markets will be perhaps the biggest game changer for Media & Entertainment. We’re looking at addressability and millions of undeclared TV households coming into the radar and huge corrections in the subscription ad revenues anomalies in India. Between Phases III and IV, we are talking around 110 million TV homes. So my biggest budget wish for the industry is that the operators in the distribution chain be empowered, financially, to be able to afford or access, and offer the mandated technically superior digital setups to take their analog TV homes digital. This will become easier if the government accords infrastructure status to the broadcast industry. The cable industry is expected to invest some Rs 40,000 – 45,000 crore on STBs. The government can really help accelerate and optimise the roll-out of DAS to a great extent with this one step.”

    As the press is often considered to be the fourth pillar of democracy in India, it is constantly observed that the fraternity has not been benefited much by the budget.

    Shedding some light on it, News Broadcasters Association honorary treasurer and News24 chairperson cum managing director Anurradha Prasad says, “First, according to me the government should include media industry in the infrastructure sector. Second, the fruits of digitisation should now come to media. It should positively come into news broadcasting. Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and it’s high time that it gets treated differently.”

    However Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar is of the opinion that their requirements are being met by the Ministry’s budget. “We don’t seek much from the national budget,” he adds.

    CNN-IBN managing editor Radhakrishnan Nair says, “There is an opportunity available as the global oil prices have come down majorly, so we are sitting on a lot of money. We have not reduced excise on the fuel prices for consumers. There is a lot of tax money that the government has got in. One major thing is that GST, which has not yet been implemented. The budget should look towards the tax structure in which we will make ourselves ready for GST whenever it comes. There could be a possible increase in the taxes or some excise adjustments for different commodities but this year’s budget will not be a great people’s budget or a populist budget. It will be a budget that will try to reserve money for the economy and the government. I do not expect too many freebies rather I am expecting many improvements in the agriculture sector as the sector is facing a lot of stress due to various reasons. I would also like a lot of things for the benefit of the start-ups as they are young and willing to start their own businesses. So I expect a lot of tax allowances or policy allowances in this year’s budget.”

    With the budget round the corner, we journalists are often worried about different ways to cover it with a unique peg to the story. Speaking as a true journalist, NDTV Group CEO Vikram Chandra scorns, “I am not expecting anything from the budget. I am more worried about how I will cover it.”

  • News broadcasters’ expectations from the Union Budget 2016

    News broadcasters’ expectations from the Union Budget 2016

    MUMBAI: As another budget looms ahead of us, expectations are high riding especially amongst the Indian news broadcasters. The budget will be presented by the Finance Minister on 29 February, 2016 and almost every segment has a set of expectations. To get a better perspective of what news broadcasters’ aspirations are from this year’s allotment, Indiantelevision.com spoke to a few stalwarts from the industry.

    Times Network MD and CEO MK Anand says, “Digitisation in general and the rollout of Digital Addressable System (DAS) in the Phase III and IV markets will be perhaps the biggest game changer for Media & Entertainment. We’re looking at addressability and millions of undeclared TV households coming into the radar and huge corrections in the subscription ad revenues anomalies in India. Between Phases III and IV, we are talking around 110 million TV homes. So my biggest budget wish for the industry is that the operators in the distribution chain be empowered, financially, to be able to afford or access, and offer the mandated technically superior digital setups to take their analog TV homes digital. This will become easier if the government accords infrastructure status to the broadcast industry. The cable industry is expected to invest some Rs 40,000 – 45,000 crore on STBs. The government can really help accelerate and optimise the roll-out of DAS to a great extent with this one step.”

    As the press is often considered to be the fourth pillar of democracy in India, it is constantly observed that the fraternity has not been benefited much by the budget.

    Shedding some light on it, News Broadcasters Association honorary treasurer and News24 chairperson cum managing director Anurradha Prasad says, “First, according to me the government should include media industry in the infrastructure sector. Second, the fruits of digitisation should now come to media. It should positively come into news broadcasting. Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and it’s high time that it gets treated differently.”

    However Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar is of the opinion that their requirements are being met by the Ministry’s budget. “We don’t seek much from the national budget,” he adds.

    CNN-IBN managing editor Radhakrishnan Nair says, “There is an opportunity available as the global oil prices have come down majorly, so we are sitting on a lot of money. We have not reduced excise on the fuel prices for consumers. There is a lot of tax money that the government has got in. One major thing is that GST, which has not yet been implemented. The budget should look towards the tax structure in which we will make ourselves ready for GST whenever it comes. There could be a possible increase in the taxes or some excise adjustments for different commodities but this year’s budget will not be a great people’s budget or a populist budget. It will be a budget that will try to reserve money for the economy and the government. I do not expect too many freebies rather I am expecting many improvements in the agriculture sector as the sector is facing a lot of stress due to various reasons. I would also like a lot of things for the benefit of the start-ups as they are young and willing to start their own businesses. So I expect a lot of tax allowances or policy allowances in this year’s budget.”

    With the budget round the corner, we journalists are often worried about different ways to cover it with a unique peg to the story. Speaking as a true journalist, NDTV Group CEO Vikram Chandra scorns, “I am not expecting anything from the budget. I am more worried about how I will cover it.”