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Tag: Doordarshan

  • Maharashtra governor felicitates Mukesh Sharma for his Excellency

    Maharashtra governor felicitates Mukesh Sharma for his Excellency

    MUMBAI: Mukesh Sharma was recently felicitated by the Governor of Maharashtra for his Excellency CH Vidyasagar Rao when Svajan an NGO run by the former Addl Chief Sec Gov tog Maharashtra and also the former Municipal Comm of Mumbai, Shri Karun Shrivastav who noticed the hard work put up by Mukesh Sharma in the field of PSB.

    Awards and felicitations are not new to the Additional Director General of Doordarshan who was a fortnight ago felicitated by the Global Sindhi Council at the hands of former Law Minister Shri Ram Jethmalani.

    Most of us may think that PSB is a losing proposition but Mukesh Sharma with his innovation, ingenuity and skill has set a record as the only Head in the entire DD fraternity to run Doordarshan in PROFIT.

    In the year 2013-14 DDK Mumbai spent 52 crores to run the channel and the station and posted a business of 57 crores through corporate, government and hiring out equipment of the Kendra to generate revenue. In fact Doordarshan National can take a leaf out of the book of Best Practices adopted and implemented by DD Sahyadri as this commercial success was achieved without compromising with the mandate of Public Service Broadcasting. Conceptualizing market driven programmes in fields as diverse as women empowerment, Krishi, organ donation, education for the girl child, robotics, film festivals among others were the channel drivers during his tenure.

    Serialized TV shows like Young – Tarang, Krishi Darshan, Amchi Maati – Aamchi Mansa, Aswaad, Sakhi Sahyadri, Hello Doctor, Swastha Bharat, Patla Tar Ghya, Kridangan,Music Masti Gappa Gane (M2 G2), Contests based reality shows like Sahyadri Antakshari, Dhina Dhin Dha, Dam Dama Dam, Naad Bhed, Aajche Davedaar – Udyache Superstar etc. have not only entertained viewers over the years, but also have created awareness about richness of the culture and traditions of Maharashtra.

    With revolutionary changes taking place in an around the world addressing citizen is becoming the most difficult and challenging job undoubtedly for a public service broadcaster. But the “CALENDAR EVENTS” of DD Sahyadri created and conceptualized by Mukesh Sharma clearly demarcates his outstanding contribution as a Public Service Broadcaster.

    A brainchild of Shri Mukesh Sharma – DD Sahyadri offers about sixteen calendar events in a year mainly in compliance with its responsibilities as a Public Service Broadcaster.

    1.    Prerna Puraskar is specially designed event for celebrating “Mother’s Day” which is a special award function showcasing the unique bonding of “Mother-Daughter “relationship as well as working towards girl child progress (education).

    2.    Navaratan Awards wherein nine prominent Maharashtrians every year are felicitated by the Governor of Maharashtra for their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity including the Arts, Education, Industry, Literature, Science, Sports, Medicine, Social Service and Public Affairs.

    3.    Hirkhani Awards are organized to felicitate nine woman of substance who, with sheer grit and determination, left their stamp in a male-dominated arena and brought the desired social change in the society.

    4.    Sahyadri Cine Awards felicitates Marathi Cine Artists and Technicians to promote and applaud the Marathi Cinema for the excellent work done in the entire last one year.

    5.    Sanjeevani Awards acknowledging the outstanding work done by the medicos in the rural areas and to the under privileged. It honors these “COMMUNITY LEADERS” for with a view to encourage/motivate the young medicos to go the rural areas and work for the masses in the villages.

    6.    Navjyoti which is a joint venture of UNICEF and DD Mumbai Kendra, the programme aims at giving recognition to nine girls from remote Maharashtra for resisting child marriages and also helping other girls fight the scourge.

    7.    First Television event “Naate Janmaantaricha” on Organ Donation to create awareness among the people on the noble cause of ORGAN DONATION.

    8.    Sahyadri Sindhu Sahyog Awards to felicitate the Sindhi Community who had done extraordinary work in their respective fields.

    9.    Krishi Awards in which farmers, scholars and experts are honored for their contribution in the field of Agriculture.

    10.    Arya Chanakya Maharashtra Rajya Puraskar, an annual state-level award, honoring the contributors in building a strong democracy from the fields such as legislature, judiciary, administration and media.

    11.    Monsoon Marathi Chitrapat Mahotsav at DDK Mumbai in order to promote good cinema which showcase award winning films and an interactive session with the film maker’s and the audience.

    12.    A specially designed event to recognize the contribution of Nation Builders on the Public Service Broadcasting Day – “Shiladaar Rashtra Nirmiteeche”.

    13.    Jaago Re Jaago – A live program on the eve of “Independence Day and Republic Day to rekindle and reignite the value of freedom in the minds of young and old of this great nation.

    14.    RBI National Quiz, promoting Financial Literacy among the youth.

    15.    National & International Robotic Contest, Robocon offering young engineers a platform to excel in their creative thinking apart from demonstrating their technical ideas in robotics as well as establishing a cross cultural awareness facilitating their overall development.

    16.    Celebrations of festivals like Govinda and Ganesh Chaturthi – “Aaley Ganray” and major sports and cultural events are brought live to the viewers by the channel every year.

    17.    All India Urdu Mushaira, to promote national integration and to provide a wide reach platform to the Nations Urdu Poets.

    Very few people know that he has produced nearly 50 feature films and directed one for which he was honoured with the national award. He has also worked in All India Radio, Doordarshan Sales and Commercial Services; and at the moment apart from looking after the DD Kendra at Mumbai he also heads the Commercial and Revenue Division single handedly.

    Mukesh Sharma is perhaps the last of the Mughals to survive the onslaught of commercial broadcasting, to not only survive but to give them a run for their money.

  • Soft launch of Kisan TV on 23 March; Prasar Bharati working on north-east TV channel: Jaitley

    Soft launch of Kisan TV on 23 March; Prasar Bharati working on north-east TV channel: Jaitley

    NEW DELHI: Kisan TV, which is slated for formal launch on Baisakhi Day 14 April as a 24-hour channel devoted to farmers and rural India, will have its soft launch on 23 March.

     

    In a report on action taken on promises made in the budget presented by him in July, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) had given its “in-principle” approval on 5 November. (This is the first time that a Finance Minister has appended an action-taken report on his last budget while presenting the budget for the new fiscal year.)

     

    Jaitley, who holds the Information and Broadcasting portfolio as well, said Prasar Bharati is also actively working on a 24×7 television channel for the north-east, for which the clearance of the SFC had been forwarded to the pubcaster on 24 September. The channel is expected to provide a strong platform to rich cultural and linguistic identity of the region.

     

    Referring to his announcements relating to Digital India, Jaitley said that a draft cabinet note on e-Kranti has been finalized, an Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) note on National Information Infrastructure had been circulated, an EFC note on Common Services Centre was under finalization, and the first meeting of the Apex Committee on Digital India was held on 26 November.

     

    The Kisan TV channel was to have been launched on Makar Sankranti Day (14 January) but Jaitley had now been assured that all arrangements would be completed by mid-April.

     

    In a meeting held in January, Jaitley sought full details of the work done on the channel, for which he had set aside Rs 100 crore in the Budget in his capacity as Finance Minister.

     

    However, the budget for I&B Ministry showed an allocation of Rs 90 crore for this in the year 2014-15 and the budget for 2015-16 shows an allocation of Rs 45 crore grants-in-aid. Of the Rs 90 crore allocated, only Rs 21.68 crore had been utilised as per the revised estimates for 2014-2015. 

     

    DD sources told Indiantelevision.com that the Minister had been assured that all preparations would be completed by mid-April. It was also stated that 14 April is a very important day for farmers as it marks the start of the sowing season.

     

    Noting that the proposed Doordarshan Kisan is a dedicated channel for the farmers to give them information targeted to address the wholesome edutainment needs of a farmer to adopt and adapt to modern scenario, the national broadcaster had in early December invited proposals for programmes under the Self Financing Commissioned (SFC) Scheme.

     

    DD sources said the content expected for DD Kisan will primarily address the developmental needs of the farmer addressing ‘Core Agriculture’, ‘Critical Support’ and ‘Essential Ancillary’ areas, keeping in mind the varied Agro-Economic Zones, Climatic Areas, Different Crops and the need to address the target audience spread across various states but will have to be entertaining and engaging.

     

    The content on DD Kisan will be in Hindi with regional dubbing.

     

    The genres for which it invited proposals are: Documentaries/Features (Field Based); Magazines/Docu Dramas (Field Based); Cookery Shows/Biographies; Daily Soap/Fiction Serials/Family Serials/Thrillers; film song based programmes; Reality Shows/Game Shows; and Mandi Bhav/Bazar Bhav/Agro Based Bulletins.

     

    In addition, DD Kisan will have a new segment for iconic characters plus Content Packaging where animation characters will convey the agricultural themes and desired messaging. It is expected that the participants under this category will also provide layouts of the channel’s packaging.

     

    It will also have a segment for edited feature films where the entire film is expected to be capsuled with anchor based presentation for 60 minutes.

     

    In the ‘Bazar Bhav’ /Mandi Bhav’ segments, updates from the Mandis including the template will be required to be provided, which would be required to give the core audiences suitable direction and help in the agricultural productive activity.

     

    To begin with, each producer has to send in the synopsis of 26 episodes but this may be extended if necessary.

     

    Under the scheme of self-financed commissioning, the Producer will produce the programme at his own risk and cost and on the selection of the programme, Doordarshan will market it, telecast the same and pay the producer for his services after a specified period of time.

     

    Self-financed commissioning of programmes through outside producers could be done for DD’s national channels, regional language channels, state networks, regional and local services.

     

    DD shall, at its discretion and in accordance with its programme requirements, select producers suo moto for production of programmes on its channels by following the procedure outlined below. DD may also consider proposals submitted by producers on their own.

     

    Ministry sources said Prasar Bharati had said inputs would be taken from different Agricultural Universities and Institutes to develop rich content for the channel and the same would  be disseminated among the farmers.

     

    DD is hoping to engage people in the fields of production as well as marketing in positions ranging from senior to mid to junior level.

     

    There are a total of 67 vacant posts of Post Production Professionals, Visual Graphics Designer, Record Keeper, Senior Videographer, Junior Videographer, Senior Production Executive, Production Executive, Senior Creative Editor, Creative Editor, Senior Presenter, Presenter, Copy Editor–Cum-Writer, Programme Trainees, Head- Sales & Marketing, and Senior Sales & Marketing Executive.

     

    Other steps being taken by Prasar Bharati for this channel include: production of in-house and outsourced content; liaison with relevant ministries to get inputs for channel content and for which advertisements will be issued; calculation of budget and expenditure for the channel; crowd sourcing for channel name, logo, jingles etc; issue of advertisement for channel packaging and branding along with look and feel and montage;

     

    A consultation meeting has been held with various educational institutes for a rich content and to create a ‘Resource Persons Group’ and this would be a continuous process.

  • Over 3000 posts in AIR, DD revived for filling through direct recruitment

    Over 3000 posts in AIR, DD revived for filling through direct recruitment

    NEW DELHI: The Government has said that 3067 of the 3452 identified as essential category posts in All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan to be filled through direct recruitment have already been revived.

     

    Another 38 middle/senior level programme posts have also been revived through deputations, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told the Lok Sabha on 27 February.

     

    The Minister admitted that there are 16,764 vacancies in All India Radio and Doordarshan as against a sanctioned strength of 46,756. 

     

    Rathore said that the Sam Pitroda Committee had recommended a complete manpower audit of the pubcaster and also asked to draw up a re-deployment scheme. The Ministry had already asked Prasar Bharati to prepare an action plan in this connection, the Minister said. 

     

    In June last year, the then I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar had given his clearance in principle to setting up Recruitment Boards for Prasar Bharati, and Indiantelevision.com had learnt that a total of 1154 technical posts had been cleared by the relevant selection committees.

     

    These include programme executives, transmission executives, technicians, engineering assistants and duty officers, sources in Prasar Bharati said.

     

    The pubcaster has not had any senior-level recruitment since it came into being in September 1997, and sources said that those posts, which could not be filled out of these, were held up because there is no Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board.

     

    As of early 2013, there were 1362 vacancies in Group A, 1,584 in Group B, 4863 in Group C and 2272 in group D in All India Radio. In Doordarshan, 724 posts are vacant in Group A, 1140 in Group B, 2871 in Group C, and 1451 in Group D.

     

    All India Radio and Doordarshan had total staff strength of 33,800 against a total sanctioned strength of 48,022, leaving a gap of 14222 posts.

     

    The most critically affected areas were the Programme Wing and the News Services Division (AIR)/DD News.

     

    The Committee for Information Technology in 2012 regretted that Prasar Bharati had failed to live up to the assurance given by then Prasar Bharati CEO that the Recruitment Boards for Prasar Bharati would be set up by 31 March, 2011.

     

    It is understood that the Union Public Service Commission and SSC had both refused to select for a non-Governmental organisation, thus creating a new problem for the Ministry/Prasar Bharati.

     

    The Proposal for setting up a Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board was approved by Prasar Bharati Board on 21 July, 2010 and discussed in the Ministry and a final proposal was referred to the Department of Personnel and Training on 15 February, 2011. DOP&T concurred with the proposal in June 2011 and the comments of the Department of Expenditure (DOE) were also received on 28 September 2011.

     

    The DoE had requested that a separate proposal be formulated for creation of posts for the secretariat of Prasar Bharati Recruitment Board and also requested for drafting of agreement containing terms and conditions of the members of the Board. This had been done and the proposal sent to DoE in February 2012 and then to Law Ministry.  

  • Sahyadri Hirkani Award salutes nine woman of substance from Maharashtra

    Sahyadri Hirkani Award salutes nine woman of substance from Maharashtra

    MUMBAI: A woman of substance is a woman of power, a woman of positive influence and a woman of meaning. A brainchild of Doordarshan ADG Mukesh Sharma, Sahyadri Hirkani Awards honoured nine distinguished women from across Maharashtra who, with sheer grit and determination, left their stamp in a male-dominated arena and brought the desired social change in the society.

    The awards were decided by an independent jury and prominent personality’s viz., Neela Satyanarayan – Retd. State Election Commissioner of Maharashtra, Smita Jaykar – Film & TV personality, Vikram Gokhale – legendary Film & TV Personality, Sunder Chand Thakur – Editor, Navbharat Times Newspaper.

    The Nine Hirkani Award recipients during the award ceremony were:

    Surekha Dalvi : For over 25 years, land rights activist Surekha Dalvi has been championing the cause of tribal ownership of land in Maharashtra’s picturesque Konkan region.  A great fighter, Surekha and her activist colleagues taking this cause as a mission work for all over upliftment of the adivasis.

    Kalpana Kharade: “A visionary without sight” Kalpana Kharade, inspite of losing her eyesight, pursued academic milestones, a former elementary school teacher with teaching experience in urban BMC and Private schools , has scaled great heights professionally all due to sheer determination and persistence. She is presently Associate Professor, a recognized PHD guide and vice-president of K J Somaiya College of Education, Training and Research.

    Malati Waman Joshi: Since last 30 years her institution “Chaitanya Mauli Vishwasta Mandal” developed conductive programs for empowering children and women belonging to the socially and economically marginalized groups. Her project “Sanskar Varg” benefited adolescent children from various oppressed locations. Its activities are closely linked with Study centre (Abhyasika) along with vocational training and are providing various health related services in the form of regular health camp.

    Shobha Sakharwade: Hailing from Banaras, Sakharwade work in the social sphere since two decades through the voluntary organization Prakriti. Sakharwade decided to focus on upliftment of women after knowing the three biggest challenges that the women were facing – livelihood, children’s education and hindrances created by the society especially in backward areas. She initiated local resource teams which are active in reaching even those women who are not confident enough to ask for help and accordingly, her organization focused on making women self-sustaining by instilling self-confidence in them.

    Anuradha Bhosale: A renowned grassroots women’s rights and anti-child labor activist based in Kolhapur. A former child-laborer herself at the age of six, she has spent the past 20 years fighting for the prevention of child exploitation, labor, trafficking, and female infanticide. As founder of the AVANI organization, she has facilitated the rescue of 541 child laborers, provided 5,604 nomadic migrant children and school drop outs the right to health care and education, organized the construction of schools inside the brickyard labor camps and established a residential home for migrant children.

    Rajani Limaye: The Founder & Chairperson of Probhodhini Trust, an institution for the welfare of mentally challenged individuals. It functions as a training and rehabilitation center for adult mentally challenged individuals, who get trained for a life they can lead with dignity, making them self sufficient, independent and a productive part of the family and the society. Over 300 students are on roll participating in various activities of projects of the institution.

    Neeta Tatke: An expert/ Trainer and PhD in “Sport Psychology”, she has been training girls in Mallakhamb, a traditional Indian sport. Dr. Neeta has represented India at various international platforms and coordinated the 1st German Mallakhamb tour.

    Vaishali Ruikar:  She is a trained Auxiliary & Midwifery Nurse in Pune. Since last 45 years she has been working each day to reduce the pain of her patients especially by doing those impeccable bed sore dressings. Her dedication to the work keeps her going even today, in-spite of her failing health. In today busy world it has become very difficult to take care of bed ridden patients. Long back in 1994 she gave this a thought and came up with the idea of Patient-care Bureau. She is also a recipient of National Florence Nightingale Awards, 2014.

    Rohini Limaye: Started her career as a voluntary social worker for the handicapped and became a professional trained teacher for the deaf. She is the founder trustee of Janikibai Shiukshan Sanstha, Vikas Vidayalaya established in 1966 which educates the deaf students with Proper education while providing suitable hearing aid which is the only remedy for deafness. This sanstha also received the National Award for the “Best school for the Handicapped” at the hands of the president of India in New Delhi.

    A special ‘Hirkani Visesh Sanman’ is given every year to a talent for appreciating the work done by a woman in their respective field and this year Urmila Pawar is awarded in this category. She is considered to be one of the most acclaimed Marathi writers representing Dalit culture and gender issues. Her stories resound with her own self definition, which is, a woman, a dalit and a Buddhist. Her Book “Aaidaan” is  her own autobiography which is translated in English as “The weave of my life – a Dalit woman’s Memoirs’” Her most recent work, Mother Wit, is testimony to her gritty, vivid stories, which are an important part of Indian Dalit Literature, as well as Indian feminist literature.

    These Hirakani’s received awards from Anil Wanvari – Editor in Chief – Indian Television Dot Com, Ravindra Awati – President Corporate Affairs – Reliance Industries, Kiran Juneja – Film & TV personality, Bharat Dabholkar –Actor & Director, Mahesh Kothare -Film & TV personality, Aishwarya & Avinash Narkar – Film & TV personality, Kiran Shantaram and many more.

    Sahyadri Hirkani Sanman Sohala will telecast on DD Sahayadri Channel on the special occasion of International Women’s Day, Sunday, 8 March 2015 from 4:30 p.m. onwards.

  • Infrastructure status for b’cast industry, reduce customs duty on STBs: FICCI budget wish-list

    Infrastructure status for b’cast industry, reduce customs duty on STBs: FICCI budget wish-list

    NEW DELHI: The Broadcasting industry should be granted infrastructure status to push the digitisation agenda of the government. 

     

    In its wish-list submitted to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley – who also holds the Information and Broadcasting portfolio – the entertainment wing of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said that in the present era of convergence, the distinction between Telecom, IT and Broadcasting sectors is getting blurred. 

     

    The Telecom sector is already treated as “infrastructure service” and so giving the infrastructure service status to broadcasting will provide a level playing field to the sector.

     

    Broadcasters and distributors will be aided with better and affordable financing options in the very capital intensive growth phase. 

     

    The FICCI wish-list covers television and radio broadcasting, cinema and animation and gaming, apart from suggestions relating to advertising in the media. 

     

    At the outset, FICCI says the Indian media and entertainment industry grew from Rs 821 billion in 2012 to Rs 918 billion in 2013, registering an overall growth of 11.8 per cent. Given the impetus introduced by digitisation, continued growth of regional media, new government formation, strength in the film sector and fast increasing new media businesses, the industry is estimated to achieve a growth rate of 15.3 per cent in 2014 to touch Rs 1059 billion. The sector is projected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 14.2 per cent to reach Rs 1786 billion by 2018. 

     

    Television clearly continues to be the dominant segment, but strong growth has been posted by new media sectors, whereas gaming and digital advertising recorded a strong growth of 25.5 per cent and 38.7 per cent compared to the previous year. The music sector has shown a decreasing growth (-9.9 per cent growth in 2013 over 2012 compared to 18 per cent growth in 2012 over 2011) despite strong content and digitisation.

     

    Radio is anticipated to see a spurt in growth after the roll-out of Phase III licensing. The benefits of Phase I cable digital access system (DAS) rollout, and continued Phase II rollout are expected to contribute significantly to strong continued growth in the TV sector revenues and its ability to invest in and monetize content. 

     

    The sector is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.1 per cent over the period 2013 to 2018.

     

    Set Top Boxes 

     

    It said the expected investment in set top boxes alone is around Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 crore and therefore wants the customs duty levied on STBs to be on the transactional value and not the maximum retail price. Basic customs duty should be reduced to five per cent if not zero per cent as this will help push digitisation faster, which would lead to transparency which will result in manifold increase in the tax revenues from Service Tax, Entertainment tax and Income-Tax. 

     

    Television Sector

     

    Referring to tax withholding on Transponder hire charges (Section 9(1)(vi) Explanation 6 of Income Tax Act, 1961), FICCI pointed out that the Finance Act 2012 amended the section to retrospectively include payment for transponder hire and other charges as royalty. However FICCI wanted a clarification to be issued that Transponder hire charges are not “royalty” as Courts in India have held that such charges are not ‘royalty’ or ‘Fee for Technical Service’ (FTS). The law was retrospectively amended to nullify the effect of the judicial decisions. This is an artificial deeming provision hurting industry. These are standard services and no transfer of technology. OECD commentary also does not treat such payments as “royalty” or “FTS”. 

     

    On tax withholding rate on Royalty (Section 115A (1) (A) & (B) of Income Tax Act, 1961), FICCI said the Finance Act 2013 increased withholding rate from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. However, it wanted that the 10 per cent withholding rate should be restored as most of the Tax Treaties have 10 per cent or 15 per cent rate and most of the contracts are on ‘grossed up’ basis leading to 37 per cent tax burden on Indian payer. This assumes almost 100 per cent profit on the payment at current corporate tax rate and is absurd, says FICCI. The change will also reduce the cost to Indian business/consumer and would benefit Broadcasting, DTH and HITS sectors. 

     

    Section 72A of the Income Tax Act 1961 allows carrying forward of losses in case of amalgamation or merger for service industry. Currently, all industrial undertakings in the Manufacturing, Software, Electricity, Telecom, etc. sectors are allowed carry forward of losses in case of merger /amalgamation, but the services industry undertaking in general is not allowed such carry forward. Section 72A(7)(aa) should be amended to include Broadcasting, Media and Entertainment sector if not all services sector undertakings to ensure a level playing field with other services industry like Telecom, Software etc. as this will encourage consolidation for rapid growth.

     

    Credit under the ‘Served From India Scheme’ under the Foreign Trade Policy is currently available as set off against excise and customs duty liability and the period of utilisation of SFIS credit is two year and is not transferable. Therefore, the SFIS credit should be allowed as set off against Service Tax liability in addition to Excise and Customs Duty liability. SFIS credit should be made transferable or tradable outside the group entities similar to DEPB scheme. The period of utilization of SFIS credit should be increased from two to five years. FICCI says that for the purpose of CENVAT credit, there is no distinction between Service Tax and Excise duty and not all companies have import requirement and thus the benefit of the scheme is not really received by such company. Making SFIS credit transferable will give level playing field with DEPB and other incentives schemes.

     

    Doordarshan 

     

    FICCI wants Doordarshan to launch DD Kids, a channel dedicated to kids’ content in “digital terrestrial” space as it would promote intellectual property creation in India in the field of animation and other content for children. 

     

    Radio 

     

    Referring to radio, the industry body said it wanted reduction of customs duty on radio broadcasting equipment to four per cent especially on transmitters, consoles etc which are not produced in India. It said there is no justification for the high CVD and additional CVD being charged and India has one of the highest import duty rates for transistors. 

     

    It wanted a removal of the service tax on advertisement in radio since it competes with newspapers at local level even though there is no service tax on advertisement on newspapers. This will also provide a level playing field to radio. 

     

    Referring to FM Radio Phase III, FICCI wanted assistance to raise money, provide priority Provide tax holiday for five years for new capital investment in Phase III and provide a fiscal sector lending sector status so that radio industry is able to access easier availability of finance at with lower interest rates. This was because a large amount of capital is required for the roll out of phase III of FM radio privatization.

  • Supreme Court to hear Cricket World Cup live telecasts appeal in July

    Supreme Court to hear Cricket World Cup live telecasts appeal in July

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed that the special leave petition to appeal by Prasar Bharati against the order of the Delhi High Court with regard to World Cup Cricket telecasts will come up for hearing on a Tuesday in July “in view of the importance of the matter.”

     

    According to the order of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Prafulla C Pant, which became available today, the Court said ‘we are of the view that the interim order passed earlier to the effect that the impugned order dated 4 February of the High Court shall remain suspended should continue until further orders.’

     

    The judges also said, “It is our considered view that at this stage we ought not to consider the submissions made on behalf of the parties on the merits of the controversy as the same may have the effect of prejudicing either of the parties.”

     

    However, the Court said it was ‘not inclined’ to consider the suggestion made by Star Sports that Doordarshan should set up an extra/special channel, which has been contended by Prasar Bharati to be unviable and technically unfeasible within any reasonable period of time.

     

    “Though an offer has been made on behalf of respondent No. 4 (Star India) to make available its expertise and personnel to aid Prasar Bharati, we are not inclined to consider the said offer made on behalf of the respondent. The first suggestion put forward therefore does not merit acceptance,” the Court said.

     

    On the second suggestion about putting up a scroll to the effect that “the channel displaying the sports event (concerned ICC World Cup 2015 matches) is meant only for Doordarshan,” the Court said, ‘acceptance of the said suggestion would be understanding the provisions of Section 3 of the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act 2007 and Section 8 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 in a particular manner, which is not warranted at this stage of the proceedings. We, therefore, decline to accept the said second suggestion advanced on behalf of the respondents.’

     

    Meanwhile, the judges said the parties may exchange pleadings, if required.

     

    In an additional affidavit filed at the instance of the apex court, Star India had said that it was losing around Rs 290 crore every year by sharing its sports signals with Doordarshan every year and was expecting to lose around Rs 120 crore by sharing the telecast of the World Cup this year. (Under the Act, the rights holder gets 75 per cent of the revenue from the telecast on DD which keeps the balance 25 per cent.)

     

    On the suggestion by Star Sports that DD should run a separate channel without the signals of the World Cup for cable operators or run a scroll that the World Cup telecasts are not meant for cable operators, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had pointed out that DD had 1400 transmitters all over the country of which most were unmanned and it was technically not feasible for DD to run a separate channel.

     

    The Delhi High Court had declined to set aside the must carry clause as well as the Act of 2007 in its judgment.

     

    SUPREME COURT ORDER IS ATTACHED BELOW

  • Galli Galli Sim Sim commences seventh season on Doordarshan

    Galli Galli Sim Sim commences seventh season on Doordarshan

    NEW DELHI: Sesame Street’s Galli Galli Sim Sim, the popular preschool programme has commenced its seventh season on Doordarshan. The programme was premiered on 14 February at 10 a.m. with a repeat telecast every Wednesday at 8 30 am.

     

    Produced in association with RedDot Productions, the all-new Season seven of Galli Galli Sim Sim engages children as it educates them on important life skills that enable them to be more school ready. With generous support from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, each episode of Galli Galli Sim Sim has multiple segments that are thematically linked together to address a whole-child curriculum.

     

    Galli ki Duniya hosts favourite Muppet friends Chamki, Googly, Boombah, Aanchoo, Khadoosa and Hero, and an all new human star cast – Aamir, Pia Aunty, Doctor Didi with engaging stories that teach children about sharing, making friends, healthy habits and task persistence. Grover takes to the streets in search of new word and to the sky in Super Grover 2.0 to teach children concepts around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). The Bert and Ernie animation segments teach pre-numeracy and maths concepts. The Elmo and Parents segment models strategies and behaviours to address topics like bullying, self-esteem and confidence, using vocabulary to express oneself, reflecting on the feelings of others and learning strategies for responding to academic or social and emotional challenges.

     

    Season six of Galli Galli Sim Sim, which concluded broadcast in February 2015 was watched extensively with each episode reaching 1, 10,000 children on an average.

     

    Speaking about the new season, Sesame Workshop India MD Sashwati Banerjee  said, “We are preparing children for the 21st century. Along with the necessary literacy and numeracy skills, children need to learn about self-regulation such as focused attention, controlling their emotions and their impulses.  Recent studies have shown that self-regulation and executive functioning skills are critical indicators for school readiness. The process that enables them to learn about  planning, initiate and complete an activity while controlling their temper, maintaining attention and responding to feedback from others need to be taught at a very young age. The new season of GGSS specifically deals with issues that promote self-regulation and provides both the vocabulary and the strategies. We encourage parents to watch it with the children.”

     

    Children’s Investment Fund Foundation executive director Peter Colenso, said “Children’s early experiences have a uniquely powerful influence on the formation of their cognitive capacities, social skills and even later I.Q. We are very excited to support Sesame Workshop in India to develop content that will engage young children in learning experiences and help them develop.”

     

    As always, Galli Galli Sim Sim is filled with hysterical moments for both children and their caregivers and will be broadcast also in Gujarati (DD Girnar) and Marathi (DD Sahayadri) later this year.

  • DD to continue showing World Cup 2015 matches: Supreme Court

    DD to continue showing World Cup 2015 matches: Supreme Court

    NEW DELHI: Disposing off the application by Star Sports seeking vacation of an interim stay ordered earlier, the Supreme Court today ruled that Doordarshan will continue to show the World Cup 2015 cricket matches and share the feed with cable operators. 
     
    The apex Court had on 10 February stayed a judgment of the Delhi High Court of 4 February, which had said that Prasar Bharati cannot share its signals with cable operators.
     
     
    The Supreme Court directive came on an appeal by Prasar Bharati, which had taken the plea that the law was clear as far as the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act 2007 and the must carry clause were concerned. Even the High Court had refused to strike down the Act or the must carry clause.
     
     
    The order today is by way of disposing the application by Star Sports seeking a vacation of the stay order. However, the matter will now come up for hearing in due course for detailed arguments. It is learnt from legal sources that the case may come up for further arguments in June.
     
     
    In an additional affidavit filed at the instance of the apex court, Star Sports had said that it was losing around Rs 290 crore every year by sharing its sports signals with Doordarshan and was expecting to lose around Rs 120 crore by sharing the telecast of the World Cup this year. (Under the Act, the rights holder gets 75 per cent of the revenue from the telecast on DD. The remaining 25 per cent is retained by DD.)
     
     
    On the suggestion by Star Sports that DD should run a separate channel without the signals of the World Cup for cable operators or run a scroll that the World Cup telecasts are not meant for cable operators, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had yesterday pointed out that DD had 1400 transmitters all over the country and it was technically not feasible for DD to run a separate channel. Rohatgi told the court that it was mandatory for a private channel under the Sports Act and the Cable TV Network Act to share the feeds of matches of “national importance” with Prasar Bharati for providing it on DD’s free-to-air terrestrial channels.
     
    The apex court had on 17 February asked the pubcaster to give its response on the possibility of launching a separate channel. Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose extended the interim order allowing Doordarshan to telecast the matches. 
     
    Senior advocate P. Chidambaram on behalf of ESPN and Star Sports said Prasar Bharati could create a mirror image of the World Cup telecast, which does not go to cable operators.
     
     
    Star Sports said its experts could help Prasar Bharati in creation of a channel that only carried entertainment programmes minus the World Cup telecasts.
     
    In its judgment, the High Court had refused to strike down the must carry clause of 2000 under which cable operators have to carry signals of Doordarshan, and also the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act 2007.
     
     
    A bench of Justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva passed the order on the plea of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), ESPN and Star who had contended that cable TV operators were getting live feeds through DD channels free of cost, resulting in loss of revenue for them.
     
     
    In the order, the Court had said: “The appeal as well as writ petition (civil) 8458/2007 are allowed to the extent that the live broadcasting signal shared by ESPN/STAR by virtue of the Sports Act with Prasar Bharati, shall not be carried in the designated Doordarshan channels under the must carry obligation cast by the Cable TV Network Act on cable operators. This shall operate prospectively.”
     
     
    In its directive, the Court had observed that while the advertisement revenue received by DD in respect of the shared content of the sports channels was to be shared in the ratio of not less than 75:25, “it still does not cater to the loss of subscription revenue” by ESPN and Star.

    BCCI, Nimbus Communications Ltd and the two sports channels (ESPN and Star) had challenged the high court’s single judge November 2007 order rejecting their pleas that no cable television network, Direct-to-Home (DTH) Network, multi-system network or local cable operator could broadcast such sports events without a licence from the content owners.  

  • Star Sports incurs Rs 290 crore annual loss by sharing signals with DD; SC reserves order

    Star Sports incurs Rs 290 crore annual loss by sharing signals with DD; SC reserves order

    NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati today categorically ruled out the possibility of running separate channels for showing ICC Cricket World Cup matches live.

     

    This assertion was made in the Supreme Court, which later reserved orders on the appeal by Prasar Bharati against the order of the Delhi High Court, which had earlier this month directed Doordarshan not to share live signals of the matches with cable operators.

     

    The apex court had on Tuesday asked the pubcaster to give its response on the possibility of launching a separate channel.

     

    Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose extended the interim order allowing Doordarshan to telecast the matches.

     

    Senior advocate P Chidambaram on behalf of Star Sports said Prasar Bharati could create a mirror image of the World Cup telecast, which does not go to cable operators.

     

    Star Sports said its experts could help Doordarshan in showing entertainment programmes on its channel at the time when World Cup telecast is on.

     

    Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi on behalf of Prasar Bharati said that this was technically not feasible.

     

    Rohatgi denied a contention made by Chidambaram that DD had in fact set up a separate channel at the time of the last Commonwealth Games. He said the channel had merely donned new colours in keeping with the Games.

     

    Star Sports and Prasar Bharati filed their respective additional affidavits as directed by the Court on 17 February.

     

    Star Sports said in its affidavit that it had incurred loss of Rs 290 crore last year for sharing sports signals with Doordarshan and was expected to incur a further loss of Rs 120 crore for the World Cup telecasts alone this year.

     

    In its judgment, the High Court had refused to strike down the must carry clause of 2000 under which cable operators have to carry signals of Doordarshan, and also the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act 2007.

     

    A bench of Justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva passed the order on the plea of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), ESPN and Star who had contended that cable TV operators were getting live feeds through DD channels free of cost, resulting in loss of revenue for them.

     

    In the order, the Court had said, “The appeal as well as writ petition (civil) 8458/2007 are allowed to the extent that the live broadcasting signal shared by ESPN/STAR by virtue of the Sports Act with Prasar Bharati, shall not be carried in the designated Doordarshan channels under the must carry obligation cast by the Cable TV Network Act on cable operators. This shall operate prospectively.”

     

    In its directive, the Court had observed that while the advertisement revenue received by DD in respect of the shared content of the sports channels was to be shared in the ratio of not less than 75:25, “it still does not cater to the loss of subscription revenue” by ESPN and Star.

     

    BCCI, Nimbus Communications Ltd and the two sports channels (ESPN and Star) had challenged the High Court’s single judge November 2007 order rejecting their pleas that no cable television network, Direct-to-Home (DTH) Network, multi-system network or local cable operator could broadcast such sports events without a licence from the content owners.

  • SC adjourns Doordarshan’s telecast of WC 2015 case to 19 Feb

    SC adjourns Doordarshan’s telecast of WC 2015 case to 19 Feb

    NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati was asked today by the Supreme Court to examine the feasibility of starting a new Doordarshan channel exclusively to telecast 2015 World Cup cricket matches without the compulsion of the must-carry clause.

     

    The bench sought this view on a suggestion made by Star and ESPN who had won a case in Delhi High Court to the effect that Doordarshan should not share the World Cup Cricket telecasts with cable operators.

     

    During the hearing of the appeal by Prasar Bharati which was adjourned to 19 February, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose asked Prasar Bharati to examine the technical feasibility and otherwise of starting a new channel, subscription of which could be regulated for the cable operators.

     

    The Court meanwhile extended the interim order allowing DD to telecast all matches till the next hearing.

     

    The bench also asked Star, ESPN and the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) to give an estimate of losses they were likely to suffer in case DD was permitted to beam matches after sharing live feeds with cable operators.

     

    During the hearing, the bench observed that it wanted people to enjoy cricket matches without any hurdles and that the revenue dispute should be resolved amicably between the parties.

     

    The Court also accepted an intervention by multi-system operator Home Cable through Vikki Choudhary and asked him to file an additional affidavit on the formula suggested by ESPN and Star Sports.

      

    While admitting the case last week, the Apex Court had said in its interim order: “This arrangement of DD showing free feed has been there for the last seven years. Let it continue.” 

     

    In its judgment, the High Court had refused to strike down the must carry clause of 2000 under which cable operators have to carry signals of Doordarshan, and also the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act 2007.

     

    A bench of Justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva passed the order on the plea of BCCI, ESPN and Star who had contended that cable TV operators were getting live feeds through DD channels free of cost, resulting in loss of revenue for them.