ITV

Tag: Kolkata

  • TRAI cracks the whip again on DAS phase I MSOs

    TRAI cracks the whip again on DAS phase I MSOs

    MUMBAI: Consumer billing has been a major irritant for all those involved in the process of India’s cable TV digitisation. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has been hauling up all and sundry amongst the multi-system operators (MSOs) to issue bills to cable TV subscribers, but has not managed to get the process in motion as yet even in the DAS phase I metros of Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

    Now it’s time for another warning from the TRAI. It has written to 29 MSOs in the DAS phase I areas, telling them that they have to get their act together on consumer billing for the month of November 2013. Bills should be dispatched to cable TV subscribers by either the MSOs or local cable TV operators by 15 December; and a compliance report submitted by 31 December. Earlier on 6 November, the TRAI had intervened asking the MSOs to send a compliance report for Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata by 15 November.

    The direction comes from the powers conferred on the authority under section 13, read with sub clauses (i) and (v) of clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 11, of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997 (24 of 1997) and regulation 14, 15, 16 and 24 of the Standards of Quality of Service (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) Regulations, 2012 and to protect the interest of the consumer.

    As per the direction, the MSOs also need to ensure that a proper receipt is given by it or its linked LCO for every payment made by the subscriber. “The MSOs will have to offer cable TV services to its subscribers on both pre-paid and post-paid payment options and generate bills for subscriber. That apart, the MSO also has to provide to the pre-paid subscriber, at a reasonable cost, the information relating to the itemised usage charge showing actual usage of service,” states the TRAI direction.

    What is notable is that it is not mandatory for the MSOs or its linked LCO to provide to the subscriber the information for any period beyond six months, preceding the month in which the request is made by the subscriber. According to the direction, “Every MSO shall, on request from the subscriber, change his payment plan from pre-paid to post-paid or vice-versa, without any extra charge.”

    To make the billing process clearer, the regulator has, as per regulation 15 of the Standards of Quality of Service (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) Regulations, provided that every MSO should – either directly or through the LCO – “give to every subscriber the bill for charges due and payable by such subscriber for each month or for such other period as agreed between the parties, for which such charges become payable by the subscriber.”

    The subscriber will be billed, generally on a monthly basis, including the service tax registration number and the MSO’s entertainment tax registration number. “Every MSO or its linked LCO, shall give 15 days, from the date of the bill, to every subscriber for making payment of the bill and in case the subscriber fails to make payment after expiry of the due date of payment, the MSO or LCO may charge simple interest of 12 per cent per annum on the amount due for the delay in making payment,” states TRAI’s direction.

  • DDB Mudra releases Youth Report 2013

    DDB Mudra releases Youth Report 2013

    MUMBAI: DDB Mudra Group has released its maiden Youth Report themed on “Beauty Money Sex Love Faith Substance”, the six entities which most acutely influence the choices and aspirations of urban young Indians.

     

    “Our role has been to merely curate the content so as to ensure the insights are raw and relevant. We have further ensured the focus is on the core thought process that goes behind brand decisions which is more sustained so that the data can be of use to marketers while developing their communication” explains DDB Mudra Group chief operating officer Pratap Bose.

     

    The report, unlike any other, has been collated by a panel of 40 college students, who themselves are a part of the TG, across five major cities including Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata.

     

    “This report also features our six mindset archetypes, a proprietary tool we use to cut through conventional SECs to better understand youth buying behavior given the diversity and continuous evolution of this TG,” adds the agency’s chief youth marketer Samyak Chakrabarty.

  • Sahara India to start a Bengali channel; roll out IPTV services soon

    Sahara India to start a Bengali channel; roll out IPTV services soon

    KOLKATA: The Lucknow-headquartered Sahara India Pariwar that has been in the media and entertainment business since some time now, plans to start a Bengali infotainment channel very soon.

     

    Currently, the company has entertainment channels, a movie channel and many regional news channels. It also has round the clock regional news channels, Sahara Samay in 30 cities.

     

    Sahara India chairman and managing director Subrata Roy, who was in Kolkata for a media interaction on Friday, said, “We have already widened our channel offerings. We plan to start a channel in the Bengali language space as well.” However, he refused to provide any further details.

     

    Not just that, Roy also mentioned that the company plans to roll out internet protocol television (IPTV) system, though he didn’t divulge any further details about it too.

     

    When Roy was quizzed about the low distribution of the Sahara channels, he rubbished it and said that the channels are doing well.

     

    The Sahara Group would also be hiring 48,000 executives and 2.5 lakh lower level employees over a period of 8-10 years.

  • 100 Kolkata LCOs group to set up a new headend

    100 Kolkata LCOs group to set up a new headend

    KOLKATA: One would imagine that cable operators would be a happy lot, considering the country is on the threshold of the last two phases of digitisation. However, the truth is LMOs (last mile operators) or LCOs are unhappy with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ruling on consumer application forms (CAF) and billing, which according to them, makes multi system operators (MSOs) the owners of consumers.

    Earlier this week, indiantelevison.com reported how a group of LCOs and independent MCOs met the Parliamentary Committee on Information and Technology in New Delhi to put forth their views on the subject.

    The latest, sources reveal, is that around 100 Kolkata-based LCOs – some affiliated with Siticable, others with Manthan – have come together and invested between Rs 2 and Rs 3 crore toward setting up a headend and accompanying infrastructure at Salt Lake College More in the city.

    This group is believed to be in the process of setting up a cooperative venture and is eager to start its own services. With the LCOs’ rising concern over MSOs becoming the owners of their hard-won subscribers, the development does not come as a surprise to the industry.

    However, “MSOs are creating hurdles for these LCOs,” sources added, without divulging any details.

    Swapan Chowdhury, convener of the Kolkata Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators confirmed that this new cooperative had indeed been formed and that the LCOs might name the service Bengal Brand. “It is a difficult time for LCOs in Kolkata as the MSOs are not allowing them to go ahead with their plans,” he said.

    Rajiv Sharma, lead analyst (telecom and media), HSBC Securities, opined: “The local cable operators are also thinking of becoming MSOs by coming together… Not good news for the stock prices of existing MSOs which have raised funds from the public even if LCOs fail eventually.”

    Namit Dave, cable TV analyst, stated that bunching together was probably a good option for smaller operators. “A 200 channel headend costs nearly Rs 1 crore; a smaller operator with subscribers running into a few thousands would not find the investment profitable in a small town. However, if operators were to get together, it could end up being a profitable venture,” he pointed out.

    Kolkata-based Manthan Broadband Services director Sudip Ghosh sees more cable ops coming together in east India. Says he: “Players with a subscriber base of more than 500,000 may not consolidate headends. But Kolkata can see the consolidation of players with others having a subscriber base of around 300,000-400,000.

  • Deutsche Bank and PVR Nest once again bring in the festive cheer to 5000 kids from NGOs across cinemas in five cities

    Deutsche Bank and PVR Nest once again bring in the festive cheer to 5000 kids from NGOs across cinemas in five cities

    MUMBAI: After the joyful success last year, ‘5000 Popcorns’ returned to kick start the festive cheer in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune and Bengaluru, which  witnessed packed cinema auditoriums with 5000 children sitting transfixed to watch the heart-warming ‘Stanley ka Dabba’, an Amole Gupte film.

    Amole Gupte himself joined the children at PVR Goregaon, Mumbai and interacted with them amongst cheers and applause.

    In its second year ‘5000 Popcorns’, which is a joint initiative of Deutsche Bank in India and PVR Nest, a registered foundation of India’s leading multiplex chain PVR Limited, brought together 5000 children from not for profit and community schools in one of the largest simultaneous movie screenings across cities. The children enjoyed the film that takes you through the wonder years of childhood while skilfully weaving in messages for providing education to all children and opposing child labour.

    Speaking on the occasion, Shrinath Bolloju, Chief Operating Officer, for Deutsche Bank in India said “After the stirring and warm response we got from the kids last year, we at Deutsche Bank are pleased to once again bring in the Christmas and New Year’s cheer to the children through the magic of cinema, even while sharing a beautiful and inspiring social message. We are delighted with the enthusiastic response we have received from the children and NGOs.”

    Ms. Deepa Menon, Vice President- Corporate Social Responsibility at PVR Limited said “We are extremely happy to partner with Deutsche Bank through ‘5000 Popcorns’ and being able to bring entertainment to such a large number of children. Such platforms enable children to explore their talents on a broader canvas. It is not just about entertainment, PVR Nest, through its creative education programs has aimed at nourishing children’s creativity and building their capacities on film making and publishing of over 1,00,000 children  from 100 city schools each year.”

  • Kolkata cable ops to meet FM

    Kolkata cable ops to meet FM

    KOLKATA: With cable operators liable to pay 12.36 per cent of the subscription amount collected per month from customers as service tax to the government, 12 cable ops met the finance minister P Chidambaram in the city today to talk on Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Scheme (VCES).

     

    Two months ago, indiantelevision.com was the first to report issuing of summons to over 350 city-based cable ops for evasion of service tax for the past five years. We had also reported how service tax officials conducted two raids to probe into alleged financial irregularities of two MSOs.

     

    This, despite the government having introduced the VCES on 10 May. VCES is a one-time amnesty scheme for paying service tax dues for the said five-year period from 1 October 2007 to 31 December, 2012, without any interest or penalty.
    Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators convener Swapan Chowdhury, confirmed the news saying: “We will discuss the voluntary service tax with the minister.”

     

    A key issue the cable ops plan to discuss is the government’s U-turn on the proposed service tax waiver for operators with turnover of less than Rs 10 lakh per annum. With authorities now saying that as cable ops are selling brands like Manthan and Siticable, they are liable to pay service tax, irrespective of the turnover shown in books, Chowdhury stressed: “We requested the government not to include operators below Rs 10 lakh turnover for service tax payment.”

     

    As the secretary of Cable and Broadband Operators’ Welfare Association, Chowdhury also informed the finance minister that after implementation of DAS in the city, consumers have had to wait for bills and upon not receiving them, remained unwilling to pay service tax to the LCOs.

     

    About the amnesty scheme, which Chidambaram has been urging service tax defaulters to take advantage of, tax consultant Namit Dave said: “By giving up interest, the government wants people to clear their dues.”
    Meanwhile, an industry analyst opined that MSOs which have evaded service tax to the tune of Rs 15 crore to Rs 20 crore in the past four years, now have a chance to pay their dues without penalty and prosecution.

  • WB govt removes HRBC hoardings to get a better view

    WB govt removes HRBC hoardings to get a better view

    MUMBAI: KOLKATA: Power doesn’t imply license to do as you please, or does it?

     

    Barely a month since the Mamata Banerjee government shifted office to the 14-storeyed Hooghly River Bridge Commissionerates Building on the west bank of the river Hooghly, the administration has started removing the over 75 to 100 hoardings on site just to facilitate a better view of the surroundings.

     

    Advertising companies which had bought the hoarding space for a good three to five years are distressed with the state government’s decision which has forced them to look for alternative sites to get mileage.

     

    West Bengal Outdoor Advertising Association treasurer and grievance committee convener Ashif Kumar Biswas told indiantelevision.com: “Brands present in Avani Mall, building material companies like cement, rods, preferred these sites as Konna Expressway is under construction. Moreover, since this is the gateway to Kolkata, many brands would choose these hoardings.”

     

    A government official meanwhile said the hoardings were cluttered and whenever officials looked out of the window for refreshment, they caused a barrier. With the 18th century ‘Writers’ Building’ having been vacated for restoration and renovation, West Bengal chief minister Banerjee and team will have to work out of the Hooghly River Bridge Commissionerates building for quite some time. Unlike her previous office that was located on the first floor of ‘Writers’ Building’, Banerjee’s new office is on the Commissionerates building’s top floor.

    With advertisers having paid top tax to Howrah and HRBC authorities for hoarding space, “The state government is likely to lose around Rs 50 lakh per annum,” said Biswas, adding that the hoardings are huge in size measuring around 40×40 or 40×20 feet. “We have requested the state government to regularise them, instead of removing the hoardings altogether,” he said.

     

    It is learnt one of the advertisers, a small media agency, bid for two sites after taking an advance from an FMCG company, which selected the hoardings for their winter campaign. Other advertisers said the decision to remove the hoardings at one go reflects on the lack of policy of the present government.

     

    Biwas however is hopeful the state government will sooner look into the matter. He even hinted that authorities are happy with smaller hoardings and that the association is ready to come to terms with them.

  • Amway Opportunity Foundation celebrates Amway Children & World Service Week

    Amway Opportunity Foundation celebrates Amway Children & World Service Week

    NEW DELHI: -Amway Opportunity Foundation (AOF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Amway India, today kicked off celebrations for Children’s week, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its “Amway One by One Campaign for Children”. Through this campaign, Amway Opportunity Foundation touches lives of over 1 lakh children across India and ten million children across the globe. In this week long celebration, AOF, in association with its 40 partner NGOs, will organize various social activities across cities including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hubli, Guwahati, to mention a few.

    The highlights of children’s week will include a mega health camp in Delhi, which AOF will organize in association with Mahavir International. This health camp is scheduled for November 20 to 22 and expected to benefit close to 1500 children. In Kolkata, AOF will organize a Children’s Fair which will include various activities like Quiz competition, Rally with visually-challenged children and seminars on various issues related to children.

    In Mumbai, the celebrations will include a special workshop for children and puppet show, followed by an exhibition-cum-sale of handmade products made by less privileged children. In Hubli, AOF will celebrate Children’s week with a difference by organizing a kids fashion show, in association with Fashion design institute and partner NGO Channels of Love.

    Commenting on the occasion Mr. William S. Pinckney, Chairman, Amway Opportunity Foundation, said “My heart fills with joy watching the young children getting benefitted. Amway has been one of the prominent companies in the country making a difference to the lives of the under privileged and would continue to extend its support to the society at large.”

    About Amway One by One Campaign: The Amway One by One Campaign for Children was launched in 2003, with its focus to help children in need. Amway distributors and employees have impacted 10 million lives by volunteering for hundreds of projects. They include providing kitchen facilities to help prepare nutritive meals for children in rural China, supporting welfare centers in South Korea and building homes for families in Latin America. Amway people have given life-saving immunizations to children in Africa and funded life-changing medical programs in Asia. In India, Amway’s National Project for the Visually Challenged had ensured that 85,000 school-going children, had access to Braille textbooks. 15 projects were undertaken in as many as 12 states in this project. AOF also channelized its energies in setting up 16 fully-equipped computer centres for visually challenged children in 16 cities. Under Project Sunrise, AOF joined hands with 40 partner NGOs and schools in different parts of the country and supporting them in health & education. 

    This marks the 10th anniversary of Amway’s Global One by One Campaign for Children as well as 15th anniversary of Amway Opportunity Foundation in India, and thus celebrating World Service Week with a focus on less privileged children of society.

    About Amway Opportunity Foundation (AOF): AOF is a registered non-profit organization which looks after Amway India’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and has been actively associated with several projects dedicated towards child welfare across the country. One of the biggest challenges in education of visually impaired children is to make books available in Braille, text or audio described format so that students can read themselves. Under the National Project for the Blind, AOF with its partners AICB and NAB has ensured making available Braille textbooks to over 85,000 school-going visually challenged children in 15 states. The foundation has instituted 16 computer centers for excellence across India to help visually challenged students for education using Information technology.

  • MSOs miss 15 November CAF deadline

    MSOs miss 15 November CAF deadline

    MUMBAI: Multi system operators (MSOs) have bought themselves some more time to collect duly filled consumer application forms (CAF) from cable subscribers across 38 cities falling under DAS phase II.

     

    The earlier deadline for CAF collection was today, that is, 15 November, and consumers failing to comply would have had their transmission cut off, even after possessing set top boxes. However, as learnt from several sources in the industry, MSOs failed to meet the timeline and are now seeking further extension.  

     

    While a few MSOs including Hathway Cable & Datacom have extended the deadline to 20 November, smaller Kolkata-based MSOs say the procedure will be complete by 23 November.

     

    It was the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that had previously extended the original deadline from 20 September to 15 November. When contacted, TRAI principal advisor N Parameswaran said considering it was a national holiday today, “any decision on the final date would be taken only on 18 November.”

     

    “The MSOs have voluntarily decided to extend the date to 20 November,” informed Maharashtra Cable Operators Federation (MCOF) president Arvind Prabhoo, adding that the regulator had asked the MSOs to send a review of DAS phase I, covering points like billing and CAF, in the interim.

     

    Kolkata-based Manthan and Siti Cable confirmed that they have achieved 100 per cent CAF collection whereas the Cable Operators Digitalisation Committee of the Association of Cable Operators convener Swapan Chowdhury said a 100 per cent CAF was impossible to achieve in the City of Joy with so many festivities. “We have increased the deadline for duly filled CAF to 23 November,” he said.

     

    Cable Operators Federation of India president Roop Sharma opined that CAF collection is a difficult task at hand for operators.

     

    “Considering that the broadcasters have not yet declared the rates for the channels, it is difficult for the consumer to decide which ones they want to subscribe,” she said.
    Clearly, we have not heard of the last of CAFs, phase II – as yet.

  • Kolkata govt. promotes film fest with outdoor campaigns

    Kolkata govt. promotes film fest with outdoor campaigns

    KOLKATA: “Ticket kete na ki pass niye” (Did you buy a ticket or do you have a pass?) – this is what the Kolkata government has been asking its residents.

    The state government’s Information and Cultural Affairs (I&CA) department has been running an outdoor campaign to spread awareness about its 19th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) that opened on Sunday.

    The department owns close to120 hoarding space in the city and has used almost one-third of the space for the promotion of KIFF.

    Government enlisted agencies including Arun Sign Service, Karukrit Advertising and Pioneer Publicity Corporation have been asked to maintain the hoardings for KIFF.

    “The teaser campaign has been out for some time now. It is just to spread the right word among the people about the festival,” said West Bengal Outdoor Advertising Association, treasurer and grievance committee convener, Ashif Kumar Biswas.

    While S Chakraborty from Karukrit Advertising said that the government has given two billboards to each agency in one area where one advertisement would be there to promote the festival and the other one will be used for commercial advertisement so that the agencies can recover the cost of the government hoarding. “We have got 20 by 10 feet flex from the authorities,” he said.

    When asked about the money being spent in the advertisements, the agencies said that since these billboards are owned by the department, the cost is not much.

    City based media analysts think that the teaser, which is usually a common aspect of such festivals, increases curiosity among film lovers.

    Apart from promoting the festival with outdoor campaigns, the state government has also made special efforts to pay tribute to legendary singer Manna Dey, who passed away recently and filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh, who too passed away earlier this year. While the singer’s famous songs are a part of the official theme song, the filmmaker’s unreleased movie Taak Jhaank (Sunglass) will be premiered at the festival.