ITV

Tag: DTH

  • TRAI issues DTH licensing consultation paper; Dish TV given extension

    TRAI issues DTH licensing consultation paper; Dish TV given extension

    NEW DELHI : Currently, India has six pay DTH operators, apart from the free-to-air DD Direct Plus operated by Doordarshan. Dish TV, was the first DTH licencee which got the wireless operating licence (WOL) for starting its DTH services on 1 October 2003. The other five DTH operators got the WOLs during 2006 to 2008. Dish TV‘s licence was due to expire on 30 September 2013. The DTH Guidelines are silent on the course of action to be adopted after expiry of the 10 year licence period.

    As the time left before the due date of expiry of the licence period for the first licencee (Dish TV) was ‘simply not sufficient for TRAI to follow the due consultation process,‘ it suggested some interim measures on 11 September to the Minister for the protection of the interests of consumers and keeping in view the large subscriber base of the said licencee.

    It was suggested that, in the interim, the Ministry may consider allowing Dish TV to continue its operations/services on the existing terms and conditions subject to Dish TV renewing the existing bank guarantee and a suitable undertaking that once the final policy in this regard is laid down by the government, the said DTH operator will comply with that policy for the interim period also. Any financial obligations arising from the change in policy shall also be honoured.

    The existing DTH Guidelines provide for the issue of a licence for 10 years. They do not explicitly provide for an extension or a renewal, implying that at the end of the 10-year period of validity, the licence expires.

    TRAI has noted that ‘starting a DTH business entails a huge investment of resources. It would, therefore, be a reasonable expectation on the part of DTH licencees that, on the expiry of the initial 10 year licence, they would be eligible to apply for issue of a new licence so that they can continue their business.‘

    DTH broadcasting services were opened up in the country in 2001. On 15 March 2001, the government issued the ‘Guidelines for obtaining licence for providing Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting service in India’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘DTH Guidelines’). These guidelines prescribe the eligibility criteria, the procedure for obtaining the licence to set up and operate DTH services in India, and the basic terms and conditions/obligations reposed in the operators.

    After a company applies for a licence, the Ministry obtains the security clearance from the Home Ministry and clearance for usage of satellite from the Department of Space. Once the clearances are obtained, the player is asked to pay the entry fee of Rs 10 crore. On payment of the entry fee, the Ministry communicates its intent to the applicant to issue a licence, after which it needs to approach the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) for Standing Advisory Committee for Frequency Allocation (SACFA) clearance. Once the SACFA clearance is obtained, the company has to give a bank guarantee of Rs 40 crore and sign the licence agreement with the Ministry.

    After this, the company has to apply to WPC for obtaining the WOL. The duration of the DTH licence is 10 years from the date of issue of the WOL. Licences to establish, maintain and operate the DTH platform are granted under Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885, and the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933.

  • Sky’s the limit for ITV

    Sky’s the limit for ITV

    MUMBAI: It was in July last year that ITV Media acquired News X, giving it a toehold in the English news space. Apart from News X, the ITV Network comprises one Hindi news channel – India News, and five regional channels.

    For a while now, ITV has been busy strengthening the popularity and reach of News X and India News in a bid to get to the top of the news channels’ pile.

    As far as News X goes, it was only post the acquisition that its distribution improved. Today, all six metros and over one million markets can view the channel on both cable and DTH platforms. This apart, News X can also be availed on mobile TV platforms such as ZengaTV and NexGtv.

    Programming-wise, the channel is witnessing significant changes with the focus increasingly shifting from debates and entertainment to hard news. To top it, the network is expanding its presence through both B2B and B2C platforms.

    Both News X and India News have been on a hiring spree since earlier this year, roping in renowned journalists from competing channels to lead them.

    News X recently consolidated its team by getting on board the likes of Rahul Shivshankar, Diptosh Majumdar and Raktim Das in key positions.

    Whereas, Deepak Chaurasia, known for his election-based shows such as Kaun Banega Mukhyamantri and Kaun Banega Pradhanmantri on ABP News (formerly Star News) and Aaj Tak, was brought in as editor of India News earlier this year.

    The idea behind hiring such journalists with years of experience behind them is that they come with dedicated viewers, who would watch a channel just to see their favourite anchor on the screen. Elaborates ITV Network CEO RK Arora: “In Hindi news channels, no journalist has such a high viewership as Deepak Chaurasia. This would lead to ardent followers coming and viewing our channel.”

    According to TAM data provided by the network, News X shows highs and lows in terms of viewership patterns between week 18 and week 36 while India News seems to have considerably gained mileage with week 36 docking in 29570 GVTs as compared to 9902 GVTs in week 31.

    All said, both news channels have a long way to go before they can surpass benchmark creators like CNN-IBN, NDTV 24 x 7, Aaj Tak and ABP News among others.

    Historically speaking, INX News (News X) was started by Peter Mukerjea and his wife Indrani, who subsequently sold it to IndiMedia following an unsuccessful attempt at running it. After which, it once again exchanged hands with ITV Media, owner of India News. The company is promoted by Kartikeya Sharma.

    History or no history, the network seems bullish about sprucing up its two news channels. Just as well they may succeed some day…

  • How will DTH drive value in future?

    How will DTH drive value in future?

    GOA: Thus far, DTH has not been able to create the kind of consumer base it rightly deserves. Reason being: DTH players have been faced with several obstacles including subscriber leakage on ground, high levels of cash burn and the perennial issue of satellite capacity. What then are the key ingredients required for DTH’s value creation story, going forward? Exactly the question this session tried to address.

    Moderated by Vivek Couto, the panel comprised Videocon D2H CEO Anil Khera, Dish TV executive vice-president and strategy Gaurav Goel, MEASAT Vishal Mathur, Kotak Securities senior analyst Amit Kumar and Macquairie capital senior VP Ausang Shukla.

    “The major challenge that we face is to correct pricing of STBs from Rs 1600-1700 to just Rs 400-500, thus preventing rotational churn,” voiced Khera.

    Goel supported this problem adding: “The pre-paid model is tough, as the subscriber pays for let’s say only for two months in a year as the existence of analogue in 50-60 per cent households is still a hindrance and we end up having a loss in revenue.”

    Addressing capacity and investment-related issues faced by DTH players, Tata Sky CEO Harit Nagpal said: “I am writing my own destiny and thus investing Rs 900 crore on the conversion of old MPEG-2 services to MPEG-4. We have already done it for a million subscribers and soon will look at changing it for six million more.”

    The panel observes that the DTH sector will see positive development only once it stops chasing additional subscribers and looks at the bigger picture of catering to consumer needs instead. In the past three to four years, DTH players have realised that with more channel carrying capacity, their prices are also headed north and that will cater to better ARPUs.

    Said Kumar: “The key issue to address is the pricing of packages and the fact that they are offering 200 channels now as compared to 80-100 channels earlier and still haven’t seen a change in their ARPUS.”

    Shukla agreed: “The major problem with the DTH sector getting investments is that there hasn’t really been much growth witnessed in terms of either subscription growth or cash flow.”

    Another revelation is how dealing with capacity is a major problem although there is demand for HD and Indians are easily influenced by the experience of watching a cricket match or their favourite movie in HD. With 4K technology coming into live events with FIFA, more than capacity, the need of the hour is having a back-up satellite.

    “What Sun Network experienced in 2009 was a real sorry affair, as it witnessed a complete blackout because of satellite failure, that could have been avoided if it had a back-up satellite,” said Mathur.

    Also, no thought has been given to other avenues like using a BSS (Broadcast Satellite Service) band along with the FSS (Fixed Satellite Service) band – which is already in use. The difference between the two is that even as FSS can carry channels between 14-17GHz, the BSS band can carry an equal number of channels on a 12 GHz signal.

    Added Mathur: “The issue is that there are seven DTH players who among them share 70 transponders with each of them requiring eight to ten transponders.”

    The panel felt that there has to be some logic behind the consolidation of platforms as there is only a 25 per cent churn and with consolidation, there will be a further reduction in the number of subscribers.

    So the panel agreed that consolidation of DTH platforms is not the panacea for getting investors. Rather, they have to focus on catering to subscribers’ needs.

  • Cinema TV channel will now be available on Dish TV

    MUMBAI: Cinema TV movie channel, the 24×7 Hindi movie channel from Naaptol, will now be available on Dish TV. Cinema TV CEO Hitesh Sabharwal confirmed the news. The channel broadcasts a classic blend and popular Bollywood movies that offers a unique entertainment perspective to the viewers.

    Cinema TV movie channel showcases titles from its vast library, including award winning features, cult favourites, comedies and gripping drama movies.

    The USP of Cinema TV is that it follows appointment viewing, which simply put is a scheduled time for different kind of movies for different target audience. The content for the channel is based on research done to gauge the interest of their target audience. They plan to expand across geographies and aim to grow into a multi-channel network.

    “We’re seeing a robust demand for movie content channel across various regions of India and in an effort to meet the customers’ needs; Cinema TV was specifically designed for the movie buffs, bringing out high quality catalogue of feature films directly to viewers,” said Cinema TV CEO Hitesh Sabharwal.

  • Tata Sky ushers Ganesh Chaturthi with 10 day-long celebrations

    MUMBAI: Tata Sky, one of the leading Direct-to-home service provider in the country, has announced a range of celebrations on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi for its subscribers. These festive offerings will be spread over 10 days of Ganesh Utsav, for its customers delight with some quality digital entertainment.

     

    To add to the festive spirit, Tata Sky has created attractive content for every member of the family.

     

    As part of the Ganesha specials, one can start the day with Actve Music listening to Sthapna Vidhi, welcoming the deity at home or listen to aartis in praise of Ganpati.
    Young minds can get a sneak peek into the life of the mischievous Bal Ganesha through fun-filled and interactive stories, art sessions and craft videos on Actve Fun Learn.

     

    And there is Actve Cooking which is for the women who would love to cook up a delicacy for the family and invite guests over for a scrumptious meal this festive season.

  • Ten Golf changes course

    Ten Golf changes course

    MUMBAI: It is teeing once again and it surely is good news for golf lovers and players. 24 hour Zeel group golf channel Ten Golf, will now be available in India on both DTH and cable TV as part of  high end packages. It is close to announcing deals with three DTH players and some MSOs. The channel which is available at an a la carte subscription fee of Rs 200 per month for subscribers will now see a significant shift in pricing on both DTH and cable TV.

    The first among the three DTH operators is Airtel Digital TV which now has Ten Golf as part of its Ultra pack. “We are now a part of a package for which the DTH platform charges anywhere between Rs 400- Rs 500 a month,” says Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi. Close to half a million viewers on Airtel Digital have signed on to the service, he says.

    There’s a shift in pricing strategy on the anvil he reveals. “On 1 September we have made a filing with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for price revision. We are looking at a reduction in rates to both promote golf and make it available to larger viewership base,” says Sethi. “I am looking at reaching out to 1.4 million subscribers once we get on the high end offerings like magnum, platinum packs etc on the other two DTH platforms. This should happen by October,” informs Sethi.

    Ten Golf was initially targeted at avid golf players, and hopes to address  aspirational golfers with its expansion in distribution and price lowering. “Aspirational golf players are mostly corporate executives and they are huge in number. Also Ten Golf today is seen as a lifestyle channel. People not only watch the channel for the sport, but also for the beautiful landscape it offers. All this called for a bigger reach and lower subscription fee,” he adds.

    Sethi is also hopeful to get advertisers to use the channel as an advertising platform.   “The positioning will help us with more advertisers. The channel has its own unique niche value and there are partners and corporates who want to advertise.”

    Ten Golf will in the next six to eight weeks be also clubbed together in high end packages offered by major MSOs like DEN, Hathway and Siticable, reveal industry sources.  “The subscription fee for the channel on the package provided by the MSOs will be much lower as compared to the DTH players. All this will take traction in next six to eight weeks,” informs Sethi.

    Shall we say fore?

  • Exset introduces DMS for the cable operators of Uttarakhand

    MUMBAI: Netherland-based Exset has announced the availability of its award winning Digital Monetisation Solution (DMS) for the Television Cable Operators of Uttarakhand. 

     

    DMS is a revolutionary all-encompassing service which includes technology at the core, surrounded by localised applications, supported by business alliances delivering the objectives on the TV screens via a low cost Set Top Box (STB). One advantage via DMS – an operator asset has the potential to give the largest thrust to governance in the coming decade. 

    The Uttarkhand initiative announcement was made at the Press Conference at Dehradun recently. During the Conference, various models which could be adopted by the Cable Operators during the digitization process across Uttarakhand were also shared. 

     

    “Keeping in view the digitisation of the Cable Television in this country, we have introduced a unique proposition for the cable operators which will enable them to meet the challenges of digitisation, and also result in positive impact on their revenue stream,” said Exset BV MD and CEO Alex Borland.   

     

    “With adoption of DMS, the local cable operators of Uttarakhand will not only witness an increase in their revenues, but will also enable them to further enhance the end customer experience. This way they will be able to retain and satisfy their customers also,” said Exset BV director-business development for strategic markets Hema Suri. 

     

    Till recently, the Cable Operators across India were depended on monthly subscription fee for their revenue, which is bound to change with the digitization of television cable industry across the Country. “Once implemented, DMS would enhance the revenue stream for the local cable operators will enhance once they offer more value added services to the end customers. Exset’s solution will enable them to do so by connecting them to the flow of information,” said Exset BV regional director south Asia Pradeep Acharya. 

     

    Exset technology has already been adopted by RMEC in Cambodia, Lybid in Ukraine, Koffee Media and is used by one of the world’s largest DTH operators based in Russia.

  • Big Magic amplifies reach across HSMs with DD Direct+

    Big Magic amplifies reach across HSMs with DD Direct+

    MUMBAI: Big Magic, the flagship general entertainment channel (GEC) from the Reliance Broadcast Network stable is on an aggressive spree to intensify distribution and reach across the Hindi speaking markets. Coming close on the heels of its distribution alliance with one of the leading DTH players, Videocon d2h, the Channel announced the inking of a carriage deal with yet another player DD Direct+. Big Magic will be available on channel number 28 on the platform.

    DD Direct+ is India’s only free direct-to-home service and reaches all parts of India, even where cable is not available, making it the answer to the entertainment requirements of the masses. The GEC offers an eclectic mix of entertainment which appeals to the sensibilities of audiences and ranges from family dramas, to reality shows, to cookery shows, to game shows to weekend movies, and more, and is designed to cater to audiences with a progressive mind set.

    Speaking on the occasion, Big Magic business head Sunil Kumaran said, “Big Magic is very happy to add DD Direct+ to it distribution bouquet. DD Direct+ penetrates into the deeper pockets where even cable TV finds it difficult to reach, adding substantially to our overall channel reach. Our mix of shows, appeal to a wide cross section of audiences and the addition of DD Direct+ allows us to take this content to newer audiences, otherwise difficult to reach.”

    Big Magic is already available across key DTH players ranging Airtel, Videocon d2h, Dish TV, Reliance Digital TV along with Hathway, Incable, Digicable, DEN, 7 Star, ABS, Siticable, Star Broadband and GTPL amongst others.

  • Sun Direct Introduces Cinema + Sports Pack at an Unbelievable Price

    Sun Direct Introduces Cinema + Sports Pack at an Unbelievable Price

    Bringing more joy to the festival of Onam, Sun Direct, gifts Kerala viewers utmost entertainment with its exciting Onam offers.  Sun Direct has over 12 lakh subscribers in Kerala and is the single largest DTH player in Kerala.  This Onam Season, Sun Direct targets to add 1, 00,000 new subscribers with their special offers.   

     

    New customers can avail an extra month’s free viewing on select packs:

     

    *Malayalam Cinema plus for 1 + 1 month at Rs. 1890, 4 +1 month at 2290, 8 +1 months at 2890.

     

    *Malayalam Super value for 1 +1 month at Rs.1990, 6 +1 months at 2890.

     

    This Onam, with a new 24 hour Malayalam music channel – Surya Music, non-stop Malayalam comedy with Chirithira, exclusive Malayalam cinema club along with 4 popular Sports channels, ESPN, Star Sports, Star Cricket, Star Sports 2, and Sun Direct gives its customers a great value proposition. All this is available on the Cinema + Sports pack at a monthly renewal subscription of just Rs. 185. What’s more, customers can now record their favorite channels with video recording on SD+ and HD+ boxes   at no additional cost.
    Commenting on this festive offer, Mr. Mahesh Kumar, MD, Sun Direct, said “Sun Direct aims to add spirit and joy to the festival of Onam by providing optimum entertainment at a very affordable   price point. This Onam, we intend to value every need of our customer and offer maximum entertainment packages. We expect our customized offers for the festival to add more joy to our customers bringing them the best packages to choose from. “

  • Sun TV channels threatens to pull plug on Reliance Big TV

    Sun TV channels threatens to pull plug on Reliance Big TV

    MUMBAI: The sun is likely to set on Reliance Big TV. The south’s leading broadcaster has issued a public notice to the Anil Ambani-owned Big TV that it better pay up money owed to it or it will pull the plug on 18 channels in different languages that are carried on the DTH platform.

    According to Sun Network sources, Reliance Big TV has been given a deadline of three weeks as per TRAI rules to cough up back dues which some say have not been paid for six months.

    According to an industry source, Reliance Big TV had earlier received a notice from another aggregator for non-payment of subscription dues but had made the payment after it was issued.

    The 18 channels which will go off air from Reliance Big TV, if the dues are not cleared are: KTV, Sun Music, Sun News, Gemini TV, Gemini Comedy, Udaya TV, Udaya Comedy, Udaya Movies, Udaya News, Gemini News, Gemini Music, Gemini Movies, Adithya TV, Sun TV, Udaya Music, Chutti TV, Surya TV and Kiran TV.

    The notice comes at a time when there were newspaper reports that Reliance Big TV was close to concluding merger talks with Sun DTH. Obviously things have not moved forward positively and it’s quite likely the deal has been aborted. Reliance Big TV subscribers are hoping things get sorted out on the Sun TV channel carriage front.