ITV

Tag: I&B ministry

  • Govt. issues urban TV households’ list to be covered in DAS Phase III

    Govt. issues urban TV households’ list to be covered in DAS Phase III

    NEW DELHI: A total of 38,799,074 television households will be covered in 7,709 urban areas in 630 districts in 35 states and union territories in Phase III of Digital Addressable System (DAS) expected to be completed by the end of this year.

     

    The list is based on the Census Report of 2011 carried out for the government of India.

     

    The list mentions two other areas: Delhi and Chandigarh, where it says DAS was completed in Phase I.

     

    Tamil Nadu tops the list of urban areas with 1095, primarily because DAS was stayed in Chennai after Madras High Court orders. 

     

    Uttar Pradesh comes next with 906, followed by West Bengal with 858 and Maharashtra and Kerala with 524 and 520 districts respectively.

     

    The Ministry website gives details of each state and union territory and also lists every urban area along with TV households. 

  • DD does not envisage any new transmitters except in border areas: Rathore

    DD does not envisage any new transmitters except in border areas: Rathore

    NEW DELHI: While denying a slowdown in Doordarshan’s expansion plans, the Government said that new transmitters are not envisaged except for a few in the border areas.

     

    Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told Parliament that this was in view of multichannel TV coverage having been provided in the entire country through Doordarshan’s free to air DTH service.

     

    However, as part of continuing schemes of 12th Plan, Doordarshan has set up High Power Transmitter (HPT) (interim setup) at Mehaboobnagar and a Very Low Power Transmitter (VLPT) at Joginder Nagar during the last three years. 

     

    Doordarshan has also approved five new transmitters to be set-up in Jammu and Kashmir: High Power Transmitters (DD1 & DD News) Rajouri; HPT, Natha Top (Patni Top); HPT, Himbotingla Top; and HPT, Green Ridge.

     

    A total of 21 radio channels (programmes) of AIR have been made available through DTH platform DD Freedish (Ku-band) and these can be received through a set top box all over the country including uncovered areas.

     

    Doordarshan’s terrestrial coverage is estimated to be available to about 92 per cent of population spread over 81 per cent area of the country.

     

    The areas uncovered by terrestrial transmitters along with rest of the country have been provided with multichannel TV coverage through Doordarshan’s free to air DTH service Freedish. It is possible to receive DTH signals anywhere in the country with the help of a small sized dish receive unit. Equipment for upgradation of DTH platform from 59 TV channels to 97 to 112 TV channels has been installed recently.

     

    Besides these, Doordarshan’s regular 22 channels are available on satellite mode and through cable network, which is the most preferred source of viewership and receptional viewership.

     

    DD is expanding its Freedish services for which viewers will get to see 112 channels as against 59 at present.  

  • Chennai: A story of failed digitisation attempts

    Chennai: A story of failed digitisation attempts

    MUMBAI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) has a long wish list for the cable TV sector and one among them is the timely completion of digitisation of phase III and phase IV. While stakeholders have taken up the challenge to ensure that they meet the deadline, what remains to be seen is how will the Ministry deals with the southern cities of Chennai and Coimbatore, which fall in phases I and II respectively and still needs to see complete digitisation.

     

    While other metros like Mumbai and Delhi have seen 100 per cent digitisation, Chennai falls way behind. An I&B report in 2012 had said that close to 62 per cent of the homes in Chennai were digitised. Rubbishing the report, the Chennai Metro Cable TV Operators’ Association said that the reality was far from the figures released by the Ministry.

     

    “There are close to 30-35 lakh cable TV homes in Chennai and of this, only five lakh have been digitised,” a multi system operator (MSO) operating in the city tells Indiantelevision.com.

     

    There are six MSOs operating in Chennai and each of these MSOs have converted only 10 per cent of their consumers to digital TV homes. “We had placed orders for close to one lakh set top boxes, but have seeded only 25,000. The reason behind this is the pending Arasu case in the court,” says the MSO.

     

    Another problem, which MSOs are facing is that of pay TV channels being available to Arasu Cable for free, while the other operators are paying for it. “About 33 pay channels are available to Arasu Cable for free, but we are paying for those 33 channels. It is a big hurdle in the path to digitisation,” adds an MSO.  

     

    As for the ongoing case against Arasu, the court asked the I&B Ministry to submit its Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) report, which hasn’t been submitted as yet. “Not only this, almost 125 cases have so far been filed in the court regarding analogue switch off. The MSOs want to seed set top boxes, but we cannot move forward till the court comes up with a decision on Arasu,” informs the MSO.

      

    The MSOs in Chennai are preparing themselves for the competition they face from the direct to home (DTH) players. For the same, they are now looking at installing hybrid HD boxes and also pushing broadband to their subscribers. “We want to maintain the digital subscribers and so we are now moving to HD boxes,” he says.  

     

    The condition of Coimbatore, which falls under phase II, is no better. So far the city has not seen any analogue cable TV home being converted to digital home.

     

    Also pertinent to not here is that after several failed attempts at getting the DAS license, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had resorted to writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to issue the DAS license to the state owned cable operator. In the letter, Jayalalithaa had requested the Inter Ministerial Committee to submit its final report too.

     

    Complete digitisation spanning 100 per cent homes in Chennai and Coimbatore is possible only after the court gives its final verdict on the state owned Arasu Cable. If the I&B really wants its vision for cable TV digitisation to be complete, it will have to fast track the case.

  • TV Today Network approaches High Court for speedy decision on Oye FM

    TV Today Network approaches High Court for speedy decision on Oye FM

    MUMBAI: TV Today Network Ltd informed the BSE that it has approached the High Court with regards to the delay by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s (MIB) approval to sell the company’s FM radio business-Oye FM (seven radio stations) to Entertainment Network (India) Limited (ENIL).

     

    According to the note published on BSE, TV Today Network Ltd stated that the Board noted “that in relation to the proposed sale of seven radio stations to Entertainment Network (India) Limited, since time is of essence and with approval of the MIB getting delayed, hence in order to expedite the matter, an urgent writ petition in the High Court is listed for hearing, to seek necessary relief.”

     

    TV Today CEO Ashish Bagga, refused to comment on this decision taken by the company.

     

    The application was filed by the company to MIB on 16 February, 2015.

     

    Click here to read full report

  • I&B slots MSOs & broadcasters’ open house meet on 20th of each month

    I&B slots MSOs & broadcasters’ open house meet on 20th of each month

    MUMBAI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) is taking all steps possible to ensure that the sector prospers and any issue, which hampers the growth is addressed well in time.

     

    The Ministry, over the past several months, has taken active measures to ensure that the various stakeholders of the ecosystem meet from time to time. The meeting is aimed at becoming a forum for the stakeholders to voice their concerns and come up with solutions.

     

    In its latest notice, the Ministry has informed both the broadcasters and MSOs, that the open house meetings, which were earlier held on the 5th of every month, will now take place on the 20th of every month. In case, of the day being a holiday, the meeting will be held on the next day.

     

    The meeting will be held from 11 am to 12 pm, in two different rooms of Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi involving broadcasters and MSOs.

     

    The notice clearly states that only regular employees of the company, well versed with the issue, would be allowed to participate in the open house meeting. “Therefore, the participant shall have to bring authorisation letter from the top executive of the company in his/her name to participate in the open house meeting, along with photo identity card issued by the employer company,” reads the notice.

     

    Companies, which desire to participate in the open house have been asked to send the request of participation detailing out the issues to be discussed latest by 10th of the month to director (BC) through email at dirbc-moib@nic.in

     

    However, for the meeting scheduled on 20 April, issues to be discussed may be sent latest by 13 April.

  • Senior BSNL official being moved as Member (Finance) in Prasar Bharati

    Senior BSNL official being moved as Member (Finance) in Prasar Bharati

    NEW DELHI: Senior Indian Administrative Service Officer Rajiv Kumar Singh is expected to join the Prasar Bharati Board as member – finance early next week.

     

    Prasar Bharati sources told indiantelevision.com that Singh was being moved from the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL).

     

    With this, the source said that the list of permanent members in the Board will be complete as Suresh Chandra Panda assumed office late last month as member (Personnel).

     

    With this, the permanent members of the Board are CEO Jawhar Sircar, J S Mathur who is additional secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, and director general F Sheheryar and C Lalrosanga of All India Radio and Doordarshan respectively who are ex officio members. Dr A Surya Prakash is chairman of the Board.

     

    Part-time members are filmmaker Muzaffar Ali and Professor S K Barua of the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad.

     

    It is learnt that the Selection Committee headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari is to meet shortly to fill the four vacancies of part-time members in the Board.

     

  • DD to set up four new channels in the north eastern part of India

    DD to set up four new channels in the north eastern part of India

    NEW DELHI: Pubcaster Doordarshan is working towards launching four channels in the north east in the near future.

     

    Three of these channels will be in Guwahati, Imphal, Arun Prabha (Itanagar), and “Ma-Mi-Na” (Aizawl).

     

    While presenting his budget in February, Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley who also holds the Finance Portfolio had said Prasar Bharati was actively working on a 24×7 television channel for the north-east, for which the clearance of the Standing Finance Committee headed by the I&B secretary had been forwarded to the pubcaster on 24 September.

     

    The channel was expected to provide a strong platform to rich cultural and linguistic identity of the region.

     

    However, Prasar Bharati has proposed that the existing north east channel be trifurcated by launching two additional 24X7 satellite channels for north eastern region designated as Arun Prabha Itanagar and “Ma-Mi-Na” Aizawl.

     

    The proposal is under finalization for circulation to appraisal agencies.

     

    The proposed Arun Prabha channel will cater to the states of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and the second channel will cater to the states of Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur and the third to Assam and Meghalaya.

     

    While applauding this move, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology which also examines I&B said recently that these projects are needed to be implemented on a priority basis and specific time-frames be prescribed within which the channels would be operationalised. The Committee wanted to be apprised of the progress.

     

    It can be noted that at present there is a single 24X7 north east channel which is inadequate to meet the aspirations and needs of the vast north eastern region of the country, comprising eight states where multiple languages and dialects are followed.

     

  • Kisan TV set for launch by April third week; soft launch next week

    Kisan TV set for launch by April third week; soft launch next week

    NEW DELHI: Kisan TV, earlier slated for formal launch on Baisakhi Day – 14 April, is now expected to go live in the third week of April.

     

    Kisan TV is a 24-hour channel devoted to farmers and rural India.

     

    DD sources said that the channel may now be launched on 21 April. This is because Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be in the country on Baisakhi Day. Sources also told Indiantelevision.com that a trial run had already commenced but a formal soft launch may come within the next few days.

     

    Initial plans were to launch the channel, which is to be run by Doordarshan, on 14 January (Makar Sankranti Day).

     

    A corpus of Rs 100 crore had been set aside in July last year in the Budget. However, this year’s budget showed an allocation of Rs 90 crore for the same in 2015-16.

     

    Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, which also examines issues linked to Information and Broadcasting Ministry said in a recent report that emphasis should be laid on local dialect on a regional basis so that farmers all across the country are able to access the channel in their local language/dialect, thereby getting benefited by this laudable initiative of the government. DD sources had earlier told this website that the content on DD Kisan will be in Hindi with regional dubbing.

     

    The members appreciated the decision to launch a channel for farmers and said it would await efficacy of the channel in delivering utility services to the target groups.

     

    The Committee noted that the Empowered Finance Committee (EFC) Memo pertaining to the launch of the channel was under finalization for circulation to appraisal agencies and the process is on for content identification.

     

    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.

     

    As per DD sources, 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 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 will be capsuled with anchor-based presentation for 60 minutes.

     

    Prasar Bharati will also take inputs from different agricultural universities and institutes to develop rich content for the channel and the same would be disseminated among the farmers.

  • Prasar Bharati Board capable of appointing full-time DGs: I&B sources

    Prasar Bharati Board capable of appointing full-time DGs: I&B sources

    NEW DELHI: The Prasar Bharati Board has the requisite quorum for appointing a full-time directors-general in Doordarshan and All India Radio and need not resort to interim appointments.

     

    Stating this, an Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) official told Indiantelevision.com that the process of filling the four vacancies of part-time members will commence soon.

     

    Nonetheless the Ministry clearly feels that the present strength of the Board is enough for full-time appointments and is surprised at this interim arrangement.

     

    However, according to a Prasar Bharati official, Board chairman A. Surya Prakash is of the view that the present strength of the Board is mostly of government-appointees, and therefore any full-time selection would not be fair. He therefore wants the process of constituting the entire Board to be completed before proceeding with any full-time appointment.

     

    Veteran broadcaster C. Lalrosanga has been appointed interim director general of Doordarshan following the retirement of Vijayalakshmi Chhabra.

     

    Until now, Lalrosanga was holding charge as an additional director general in All India Radio.

     

    Chhabra was named interim DG of Doordarshan in July 2014. She had earlier been ADG Programmes in AIR.

     

    According to information available with this website, contenders for the post of DG include current interim AIR DG F Shehryar, Aparna Vaish, Deepa Chandra, Dr Rajshekhar Vyas, Mukesh Sharma and Mahesh Joshi.

  • I&B Ministry urges Home Ministry to expedite security clearances for MSOs

    I&B Ministry urges Home Ministry to expedite security clearances for MSOs

    NEW DELHI: Keeping in view the continuing delays in multi-system operators (MSOs) failing to get security clearance, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) has send a fresh reminder to the Home Ministry in this regard.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, I&B secretary Bimal Julka said that a meeting has also been sought with concerned officials of the Home Ministry to sort out issues, if any.

     

    He said that the process of digitisation will not be affected, but agreed that several proposals by private MSOs have remained pending for long periods either with the I&B or the Home Ministry.

     

    The I&B Ministry holds open house meetings on a regular basis with MSO representatives so that any queries can be answered.

     

    The Ministry had itself conceded that a proposal by Reliance Jio Media for registration as a multi-system operator under the digital addressable system was sent to the Home Ministry in February last year for security clearance and has still not been returned.

     

    The representative of Reliance Jio, Abhishek Soni, was told that the Home Ministry would take some time to furnish comments/security clearance.

     

    CAT Vision was told that a reminder was being sent to the Home Ministry in its case. Signum Digital Network was also given the same assurance.

     

    Digirevo Networks received a similar response to its query at the open house meeting held early this month.  

     

    Other MSOs received similar replies in meetings held during February and March this year include Goldy Dishnet, Citv Television Network, Sri Udav Satvision, and General Entertainment.