ITV

Tag: Information and Broadcasting Ministry

  • India has just reached 886 TV channels against the target of 1500 channels by end of 12th Plan

    India has just reached 886 TV channels against the target of 1500 channels by end of 12th Plan

    NEW DELHI: With the government having given valid permission to a total of 886 private television channels including 399 news channels, it appears highly unlikely that the country will achieve the target of 1500 channels by March next year as assumed by the State Finance Commission while drafting its proposals for the 12th Plan (2012-17).

    Interestingly, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had given permission to 1035 channels but later cancelled permission to 149, thus adding twentythree more refused permission after 31 March this year.

    Thus the number of general entertainment channels is 487 as on 31 July 2016.

    Twenty-two channels including seven news channels have been permitted to uplink from India but not downlink within the country, thus leadiong to an increase of two general entertainment channels since 31 March 2016.

    A total of 768 channels including 391 GECs are allowed to uplink and downlink in the country thus showing a reduction of one newx channel in the past four months.

    A total of 96 including 81 GECs are uplinked from overseas but allowed to downlink into TV homes in the country, and there had been no change in this number for the past four months.

    Interestingly, seven channels have lost their licences after 20 July 2016, when a list posted on the Ministry’s website in response to a Paliament question after the controversy over Peace TV and other illegal channels showed a total of 893 permitted channels.

    After 30 April 2016, the lone news channel cleared is ATE TV of Airtravel Enterprises India
    Limited;

    The Non-News channels cleared are B4U Plus and B4U HITZ of B4U Television Network I
    Pvt. Ltd; MAAS TV of Gokann International Media Pvt. Ltd; Nambikkai Television in Tamil and Goodnews TV of Goodnews Channel Pvt. Ltd; and MK Tunes amd MK Six of Madurai Krishan Network Pvt. Ltd.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry site (mib.nic.in) also contains the full details of the owners of these channels, the languages in which they will beam, and the date on which the clearance came.

    However, there are no details of the 149 channels denied permission.

  • India has just reached 886 TV channels against the target of 1500 channels by end of 12th Plan

    India has just reached 886 TV channels against the target of 1500 channels by end of 12th Plan

    NEW DELHI: With the government having given valid permission to a total of 886 private television channels including 399 news channels, it appears highly unlikely that the country will achieve the target of 1500 channels by March next year as assumed by the State Finance Commission while drafting its proposals for the 12th Plan (2012-17).

    Interestingly, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had given permission to 1035 channels but later cancelled permission to 149, thus adding twentythree more refused permission after 31 March this year.

    Thus the number of general entertainment channels is 487 as on 31 July 2016.

    Twenty-two channels including seven news channels have been permitted to uplink from India but not downlink within the country, thus leadiong to an increase of two general entertainment channels since 31 March 2016.

    A total of 768 channels including 391 GECs are allowed to uplink and downlink in the country thus showing a reduction of one newx channel in the past four months.

    A total of 96 including 81 GECs are uplinked from overseas but allowed to downlink into TV homes in the country, and there had been no change in this number for the past four months.

    Interestingly, seven channels have lost their licences after 20 July 2016, when a list posted on the Ministry’s website in response to a Paliament question after the controversy over Peace TV and other illegal channels showed a total of 893 permitted channels.

    After 30 April 2016, the lone news channel cleared is ATE TV of Airtravel Enterprises India
    Limited;

    The Non-News channels cleared are B4U Plus and B4U HITZ of B4U Television Network I
    Pvt. Ltd; MAAS TV of Gokann International Media Pvt. Ltd; Nambikkai Television in Tamil and Goodnews TV of Goodnews Channel Pvt. Ltd; and MK Tunes amd MK Six of Madurai Krishan Network Pvt. Ltd.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry site (mib.nic.in) also contains the full details of the owners of these channels, the languages in which they will beam, and the date on which the clearance came.

    However, there are no details of the 149 channels denied permission.

  • DAS effect: MIB registered MSOs’ list nears 1,000

    DAS effect: MIB registered MSOs’ list nears 1,000

    NEW DELHI: Although the government is adamant about extending the deadline of the final phase of digital addressable system, the couutry which claims to have more than 60,000 cable operators is finally nearing a total of 1000 multi-system operators who provide signals to them.

    The total of MSOs went up to 966 by 28 July 2016, with 26 MSOs gettomg the green signal as provisional licencees after 28 June 2016. The number of permanent licencees (up to ten years) remains at 229.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had cancelled the licences of 27 MSOs and closed their cases by 2 June 2016. In most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations, it is because of failure to get security clearance from the Home ministry. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences for failing to complete certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

    According to the latest list upto 28 July 2016, the area of operation of three MSOs including one permanent licensee have been revised after 28 June, one of which – Radiant Digitek Network Pvt. Ltd of Kota – which already had a permanent licence for has now got licence to operate pan-India on a provisional licence. .

    The other new registrations include the states of, or specific districts in, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.

    With the Home ministry directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, the pace remains slow.

    The permanent licence issued to Kal Cable of Chennai had been cancelled on 20 August 2014, but this cancellation was set aside by Madras High Court on 5 September the same year. However, Kal Cable’s name continues to be in the cancelled list – presumably because the cases are still pending.

  • DAS effect: MIB registered MSOs’ list nears 1,000

    DAS effect: MIB registered MSOs’ list nears 1,000

    NEW DELHI: Although the government is adamant about extending the deadline of the final phase of digital addressable system, the couutry which claims to have more than 60,000 cable operators is finally nearing a total of 1000 multi-system operators who provide signals to them.

    The total of MSOs went up to 966 by 28 July 2016, with 26 MSOs gettomg the green signal as provisional licencees after 28 June 2016. The number of permanent licencees (up to ten years) remains at 229.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had cancelled the licences of 27 MSOs and closed their cases by 2 June 2016. In most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations, it is because of failure to get security clearance from the Home ministry. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences for failing to complete certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

    According to the latest list upto 28 July 2016, the area of operation of three MSOs including one permanent licensee have been revised after 28 June, one of which – Radiant Digitek Network Pvt. Ltd of Kota – which already had a permanent licence for has now got licence to operate pan-India on a provisional licence. .

    The other new registrations include the states of, or specific districts in, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.

    With the Home ministry directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, the pace remains slow.

    The permanent licence issued to Kal Cable of Chennai had been cancelled on 20 August 2014, but this cancellation was set aside by Madras High Court on 5 September the same year. However, Kal Cable’s name continues to be in the cancelled list – presumably because the cases are still pending.

  • MSO number touches 940 with forty more getting clearance in June 2016

    MSO number touches 940 with forty more getting clearance in June 2016

    NEW DELHI: As the country marches towards the deadline of the final phase which will complete cable digitlization all over the country, as many as forty multi-system operators have received provisional licences in June and taken the total to 711.

    Early this month, the government announced the cancellation of the permanent licence of one more MSO and the number of permanent licencees (up to ten years) fell by one to 229.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had cancelled the licences of 27 MSOs and closed their cases by 2 June. In most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations, it is because of failure to get security clearance from the Home ministry. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences not completing certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

    According to the latest list upto 28 June 2016, the area of operation of four MSOs have been revised after 2 June, one of which – Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication Pvt. Ltd, Chennai – has now got licence to operate pan-India barring the metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Chennai is in any case under stay following a court order after the first phase.

    Of the new licencees, three – Fastway Media Cable Network Pvt. Ltd of Delhi, Metro Trade Links of Bhopal, and Megbela Infitel Cable & Broadband Private Limited from New Delhi have got pan India licences.

    The other new registrations include the states of, or specific districts in, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Chhatisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh.

    With the Home ministry directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, the pace remains slow.

    The permanent licence issued to Kal Cable of Chennai had been cancelled on 20 August 2014, but this cancellation was set aside by Madras High Court on 5 September the same year. However, Kal Cable’s name continues to be in the cancelled list – presumably because the cases are still pending.

  • MSO number touches 940 with forty more getting clearance in June 2016

    MSO number touches 940 with forty more getting clearance in June 2016

    NEW DELHI: As the country marches towards the deadline of the final phase which will complete cable digitlization all over the country, as many as forty multi-system operators have received provisional licences in June and taken the total to 711.

    Early this month, the government announced the cancellation of the permanent licence of one more MSO and the number of permanent licencees (up to ten years) fell by one to 229.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had cancelled the licences of 27 MSOs and closed their cases by 2 June. In most of the other cases in the list of cancelled registrations, it is because of failure to get security clearance from the Home ministry. However, there are cases of many MSOs holding provisional licences not completing certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

    According to the latest list upto 28 June 2016, the area of operation of four MSOs have been revised after 2 June, one of which – Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication Pvt. Ltd, Chennai – has now got licence to operate pan-India barring the metros of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Chennai is in any case under stay following a court order after the first phase.

    Of the new licencees, three – Fastway Media Cable Network Pvt. Ltd of Delhi, Metro Trade Links of Bhopal, and Megbela Infitel Cable & Broadband Private Limited from New Delhi have got pan India licences.

    The other new registrations include the states of, or specific districts in, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Chhatisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh.

    With the Home ministry directive about doing away with security clearances for MSOs not being communicated in writing to the MIB, the pace remains slow.

    The permanent licence issued to Kal Cable of Chennai had been cancelled on 20 August 2014, but this cancellation was set aside by Madras High Court on 5 September the same year. However, Kal Cable’s name continues to be in the cancelled list – presumably because the cases are still pending.

  • MIB to TV: Use same language captions & audio descriptions for differently-abled

    MIB to TV: Use same language captions & audio descriptions for differently-abled

    NEW DELHI: All news and other television channels have been requested to carry the same language captions and audio descriptions along with the programmes and news reports for persons with disabilities.

    In a notice out on its website yesterday, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said this was in compliance with concerns raised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DoEPwD) regarding formulation of Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) for achieving universal accessibility for persons with disabilities (PwDs).

    The note was addressed to all channels and also to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (lBF), and the Association of Regional Television Broadcasters.

    The DoEPwD had stressed that access to TV programmes for many persons with disabilities is denied due to lack of assistive technology. During discussion with various NGOs, a need was felt to prepare guidelines that include that broadcasting partners should develop and telecast a certain percentage of programmes with audio description and captioning as an experiment to the benefit of the target persons with disabilities.

    The note said the media has always been in the forefront of taking up important issues and causes including those for the welfare of the disadvantaged sections of society. In the recent past, Republic Day Parade commentary and Independence Day ceremony was carried with sign language interpretation for the benefit of differently abled people.

  • MIB to TV: Use same language captions & audio descriptions for differently-abled

    MIB to TV: Use same language captions & audio descriptions for differently-abled

    NEW DELHI: All news and other television channels have been requested to carry the same language captions and audio descriptions along with the programmes and news reports for persons with disabilities.

    In a notice out on its website yesterday, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said this was in compliance with concerns raised by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DoEPwD) regarding formulation of Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) for achieving universal accessibility for persons with disabilities (PwDs).

    The note was addressed to all channels and also to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (lBF), and the Association of Regional Television Broadcasters.

    The DoEPwD had stressed that access to TV programmes for many persons with disabilities is denied due to lack of assistive technology. During discussion with various NGOs, a need was felt to prepare guidelines that include that broadcasting partners should develop and telecast a certain percentage of programmes with audio description and captioning as an experiment to the benefit of the target persons with disabilities.

    The note said the media has always been in the forefront of taking up important issues and causes including those for the welfare of the disadvantaged sections of society. In the recent past, Republic Day Parade commentary and Independence Day ceremony was carried with sign language interpretation for the benefit of differently abled people.

  • 1000+ complaints of misleading ads on DoCA portal in 2015-16

    1000+ complaints of misleading ads on DoCA portal in 2015-16

    NEW DELHI: A total of 1046 complaints have been received in the past one year between March 2015 and 31 March 2016 on the portal Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA) set up by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA).

    After preliminary scrutiny of the grievances registered on the portal, the grievances are forwarded to the state government concerned or the respective central regulator as the case may be.

    Of these, complaints relating to 363 were successfully resolved, 234 were rejected, 41 are in process with the Advertising Standards Council of India and 391 have been given to the regulator to intervene. In addition, 17 have been given to the Inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee of the (DoCA).

    The DoCA last year appointed the Advertising Standards Council of India as its executive arm to process complaints received on the GAMA (Grievance against Misleading Advertisements) portal.

    The Inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee which is headed by Additional Secretary in DoCA consists of members from Bureau of India Standards; the Information & Broadcasting, and Health Ministries; Press Council of India; ASCI; Food Safety and Standards Authority of India; Centre for Consumer Studies (Indian Institute of Public Administration); two representatives on rotation basis from NGOs/VCOs and Industrial/ Business/ Trade Bodies and Central Consumer Protection Council etc.  

    DoCA sources who told indiantelevision.com that a large number of misleading advertisements appear in various media, said the Consumer Protection Act 1986 is being amended for which the Consumer Protection Bill 2015 has been introduced in Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to provide for a Central Consumer Protection Authority, the objective of which is to protect and enforce the rights of the consumers, to prevent unfair trade practices and to ensure that no advertisement is made for any goods or services which is misleading or deceiving or contravenes the provisions of the Act and rules made thereunder

    Section 2 (1) (r) of the existing Act provides that the practice of making any statement, whether orally or in writing or by visible representation which falsely represents that the goods are of a particular standard, quality, quantity, grade, composition style or model; falsely represents that the services are of a particular standard, quality or grade, falls under unfair trade practices.

    A consumer can make a complaint against unfair trade practice in a Consumer Forum established under the Act. If the complaint is upheld by a Consumer Forum, it can order for removal of the defect pointed out, replacing the goods with new goods free from any defect, issuance of corrective advertisement to neutralize the effect of misleading advertisement at the cost of the opposite party responsible for issuing such misleading dvertisement, etc.

    Meanwhile, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry received six complaints in 2013 and 2014 and none in 2015 or the current year until April against private satellite television channels.

    In most cases, I and B sources said the matter was referred to ASCI which had the advertisements removed while in two cases the Ministry gave a general directive to all channels.

    All advertisements telecast on TV channels are regulated in accordance with the Advertising Code available on Ministry’s website mib.nic.in. Rule 7 (5) of the Advertising Code provides that no advertisement shall contain references which are likely to lead the public to infer that the product advertised or any of its ingredients has some special or miraculous or super-natural property or quality, which is difficult of being proved.

    The I and B Ministry had constituted an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) under the chairmanship of the Additional Secretary and comprising of officers drawn from various ministries such as Consumer Affairs, Home Affairs, Law & Justice, Women & Child Development, Health & Family Welfare, External Affairs, Defence and including a representative from the ASCI, to take cognizance sou-motu or look into specific complaints regarding violation of the Programme Code and Advertising Code. The IMC functions in a recommendatory capacity.

    The final decision regarding penalties and its quantum is taken on the basis of the recommendations of IMC. The Ministry generally issues warnings or advisories to comply with the Programme/Advertising Codes or asks the channels to scroll apologies on their channel. Occasionally, the channels are also taken off air either temporarily for a limited period depending on the gravity of the violation. A list showing details of action taken against TV channels for telecasting advertisements in violation of Rule 7(5) regarding misleading advertisements is at Annexure-II.

    Meanwhile, the ASCI received a total of 525 complaints against misleading advertising content on the electronic media between 2013 and 2016. Rule 7(9) of the Advertising Code provides that no Advertisement which violates the Code for self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by the ASCI Mumbai for public exhibition in India, from time to time, shall be carried in the cable service.

    While 187 complaints were received in 2013-2014, the number went up to 203 in 2014-2015 but fell to 135 in 2015-2016.

  • 1000+ complaints of misleading ads on DoCA portal in 2015-16

    1000+ complaints of misleading ads on DoCA portal in 2015-16

    NEW DELHI: A total of 1046 complaints have been received in the past one year between March 2015 and 31 March 2016 on the portal Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements (GAMA) set up by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA).

    After preliminary scrutiny of the grievances registered on the portal, the grievances are forwarded to the state government concerned or the respective central regulator as the case may be.

    Of these, complaints relating to 363 were successfully resolved, 234 were rejected, 41 are in process with the Advertising Standards Council of India and 391 have been given to the regulator to intervene. In addition, 17 have been given to the Inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee of the (DoCA).

    The DoCA last year appointed the Advertising Standards Council of India as its executive arm to process complaints received on the GAMA (Grievance against Misleading Advertisements) portal.

    The Inter-Ministerial Monitoring Committee which is headed by Additional Secretary in DoCA consists of members from Bureau of India Standards; the Information & Broadcasting, and Health Ministries; Press Council of India; ASCI; Food Safety and Standards Authority of India; Centre for Consumer Studies (Indian Institute of Public Administration); two representatives on rotation basis from NGOs/VCOs and Industrial/ Business/ Trade Bodies and Central Consumer Protection Council etc.  

    DoCA sources who told indiantelevision.com that a large number of misleading advertisements appear in various media, said the Consumer Protection Act 1986 is being amended for which the Consumer Protection Bill 2015 has been introduced in Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to provide for a Central Consumer Protection Authority, the objective of which is to protect and enforce the rights of the consumers, to prevent unfair trade practices and to ensure that no advertisement is made for any goods or services which is misleading or deceiving or contravenes the provisions of the Act and rules made thereunder

    Section 2 (1) (r) of the existing Act provides that the practice of making any statement, whether orally or in writing or by visible representation which falsely represents that the goods are of a particular standard, quality, quantity, grade, composition style or model; falsely represents that the services are of a particular standard, quality or grade, falls under unfair trade practices.

    A consumer can make a complaint against unfair trade practice in a Consumer Forum established under the Act. If the complaint is upheld by a Consumer Forum, it can order for removal of the defect pointed out, replacing the goods with new goods free from any defect, issuance of corrective advertisement to neutralize the effect of misleading advertisement at the cost of the opposite party responsible for issuing such misleading dvertisement, etc.

    Meanwhile, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry received six complaints in 2013 and 2014 and none in 2015 or the current year until April against private satellite television channels.

    In most cases, I and B sources said the matter was referred to ASCI which had the advertisements removed while in two cases the Ministry gave a general directive to all channels.

    All advertisements telecast on TV channels are regulated in accordance with the Advertising Code available on Ministry’s website mib.nic.in. Rule 7 (5) of the Advertising Code provides that no advertisement shall contain references which are likely to lead the public to infer that the product advertised or any of its ingredients has some special or miraculous or super-natural property or quality, which is difficult of being proved.

    The I and B Ministry had constituted an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) under the chairmanship of the Additional Secretary and comprising of officers drawn from various ministries such as Consumer Affairs, Home Affairs, Law & Justice, Women & Child Development, Health & Family Welfare, External Affairs, Defence and including a representative from the ASCI, to take cognizance sou-motu or look into specific complaints regarding violation of the Programme Code and Advertising Code. The IMC functions in a recommendatory capacity.

    The final decision regarding penalties and its quantum is taken on the basis of the recommendations of IMC. The Ministry generally issues warnings or advisories to comply with the Programme/Advertising Codes or asks the channels to scroll apologies on their channel. Occasionally, the channels are also taken off air either temporarily for a limited period depending on the gravity of the violation. A list showing details of action taken against TV channels for telecasting advertisements in violation of Rule 7(5) regarding misleading advertisements is at Annexure-II.

    Meanwhile, the ASCI received a total of 525 complaints against misleading advertising content on the electronic media between 2013 and 2016. Rule 7(9) of the Advertising Code provides that no Advertisement which violates the Code for self-regulation in advertising, as adopted by the ASCI Mumbai for public exhibition in India, from time to time, shall be carried in the cable service.

    While 187 complaints were received in 2013-2014, the number went up to 203 in 2014-2015 but fell to 135 in 2015-2016.