ITV

Tag: LCOs

  • DEN lends its ears to LCOs’ apprehensions

     

    MUMBAI: As India‘s government-mandated cable TV digitisation rolls out, one person who has been feeling threatened is the local cable operator (LCO). To address this concern, DEN Networks, Star India and Dolby in collaboration hosted a road show ‘DAS: Daulat aur Shahrat’. The initiative was an effort to reaffirm the trust and also appreciate the LCOs for their efforts for successful implementation of phase II of digital addressable systems (DAS).

     

    The first set of the roadshows, attended by 50 LCOs, was conducted in Kanpur on 19 August and in Lucknow on 21 August. Hosted by Star India on behalf of DEN in association with Dolby, the road show educated the LCOs about the opportunities created by digitisation. “This was the first initiative where the broadcaster, MSO and LCO all came together to talk about the latest in digitisation,” says DEN Networks CEO S.N. Sharma.

     

    The road show was a step towards creating a platform for the various players in the ecosystem. “This was an effort to inform them that digitisation will help them increase proportionate revenue for their services,” he adds.

     

    The implementation of DAS across India is a massive undertaking which promises a complete transformation of the Indian media landscape. “This initiative was aimed at DEN’s LCOs, who are the face of the MSO for the subscriber and focused at informing and educating them about the tremendous opportunities that digital cable has to offer,” informs Sharma.

     

    The LCOs were also made aware of the potential revenue streams due to a wider and better service offering bought in by digitisation such as multiple TV connections, HD, value added services and broadband.

    Digitisation brings with it opportunities even for LCOs says S.N. Sharma

    The conference also elaborated on the challenges lying ahead. “Concerted and continuous efforts from stakeholders can make digitisation a grand success in the remaining territories.”

     

    To ensure that the transition is more seamless for the subscriber and the LCO, DEN also announced a plethora of schemes on educating the consumer regarding channel packages and filling of package authorisation forms (PAF) before the TRAI deadline of 20 September, 2013.

     

    Speaking on the concerns of the LCOs, Sharma says, “The LCO feels that his livelihood will be affected post implementation of digitisation and channel packaging. We through the road show have informed them of the benefits of digitisation and explained that life will be great post digitisation.”

     

    DEN last year conducted a training programme before implementing its digitisation rollout. “That was to make them aware and also address their concerns.”

     

    The current roadshow, which involved the broadcaster and also the technology partner Dolby, was well received. “It has given us the confidence to try and explore more such forums in other cities and states.”

     

    Though no specific timeline has yet been set, but the MSO is exploring many more such modes of getting the LCOs together and addressing their concerns. “We will spread out across all markets in tier II cities and also those in the phase III of digitisation,” he informs.

     

    Clearly, the idea is to have a more joyous ride together on the road to digitisation.

  • Kolkata based MSOs, LCOs receive summons from service tax department

    KOLKATA: The Kolkata based Multi System Operators (MSOs) and local cable TV operators (LCOs) had uninvited guests last week. They were taken by surprise when the service tax officials conducted two raids to probe into their alleged financial irregularities. And, this in a digital addressable system (DAS) cable TV ecosystem which reveals the business and operations of these players at length.

     

    Apart from service tax, the income tax department also searched the premises of one of the big MSOs. And if sources are to be believed, the MSO made an upfront payment of around Rs 50 lakh – Rs 75 lakh to the income tax authorities.

     

    More than 350 cable operators have been issued summons for evading service tax payments for the past five years, sources said. “As per market reports two MSOs were raided last week, who then had to cough up huge amounts to the service tax authorities. The officials questioned the accountant of the MSOs on the financial details,” said a cable TV industry insider.

     

    It is also learnt that another MSO who had evaded service tax amounting to Rs 15 crore – Rs 20 crore spanning over four years, had to cover up the case by paying a huge amount to the authorities. “It is learnt that the company deposited a huge amount, though I am unsure of the exact amount,” the source added.

     

    Though the second MSO, whose office was raided on Thursday paid Rs 2.5 crore (approximately) to the service tax department officials. “Another Rs 50 lakh – Rs 75 lakh was given to the income tax department,” he informed.

     

    “The raid was part of a probe into financial transactions for suspected alleged tax evasion by the cable TV operators in Kolkata,” he said.

     

    A cable operator under Gujarat Telelink, an MSO, informed that as per the summons, the operator has to furnish details of the number of set top boxes installed and also the account details for the past five years. “If we don’t furnish it, we might be in trouble,” he said.

     

    Cable industry sources inform that cable TV operators are liable to pay 12.36 per cent as service tax to the authorities from the subscription amount collected every month from the customers.

     

    Kolkata based operators are treading in troubled waters. First it was the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) which planned to take strict action against the MSOs and LCOs for not collecting and feeding the CAF details into the system for DAS implementation and now they face the wrath of tax inspectors.

     

    Seems like it is time for operators to buck up and clear all past payments to avert any embarrassing situation in the DAS environment.

  • Around 1.80 lakh defaulters in Kolkata face TV blackout as of 26 August

    KOLKATA: With the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) pressuring service providers in Kolkata to disconnect the television connections of customers for not submitting the subscriber application forms, multiple system operators, more than 1.80 lakh customers have experienced a black out till Monday evening.

     

    While talking about the snapping of the connection which started from Saturday morning, Den Networks, Hathway Cable and Datacom and Manthan Broadband Services snapped the maximum number of cable connections, out of 80,000 which were disconnected on August 24.

     

    Also, with just around 45 days remaining for the grand festival of Durga Puja, some cable operators are relaxed and have assured the customers that they can send the details after the festival is over, said a customer, using the service of one of the players, which has maximum penetration in KM area.

     

    Industry sources said: “The consumer application forms (CAF) of these MSOs were not ready as compared to other players like SitiCable. As a result, the three MSOs had to switch off the connection,” adding that the MSO will continue to switch-off few connections at a time in the coming days to guard against law-and-order problem.

     

    As per the TRAI mandate, the MSOs were supposed to switch-off the cable connections of those customers, who had not filled-up the CAFs in Kolkata post midnight of 23 August.

     

    Committee of the Association of Cable Operators, Cable Operators Digitalisation convener Swapan Chowdhury said the MSOs have been asked by the TRAI to provide details of TV connections running illegally in the KM area.

     

    Siticable that has disconnected more than 90,000 subscribers till Monday evening, has seen a good response from customers. “We are not switching off the connections of CAF non compliance customers at a go. We are doing it in small numbers – say 15,000,” expounded Siticable director (Kolkata) Suresh Sethia.

     

    Manthan Broadband Services which has installed 6.5 lakh to seven lakh set top boxes, had alone disconnected around 30,000 connections on Saturday, said Manthan Broadband Services director Sudip Ghosh.

     

    “Our purpose is not to switch-off the connection. But after snapping say four connections, more than 100 customers have approached from the vicinity,” he added.
    Seeing the fast response from the customers, it can be easily assumed that in the KM DAS area, CAFs rate is likely to be 70 per cent to 80 per cent in next six days – seven days, Ghosh predicted.

     

    Den Networks and Hathway Cable and Datacom could not be asked specifically about the connections snapped by them in KM area.

     

    Cable Shilpa Bachao Committee convener Mrinal Chatterjee said instead of disconnecting the TV sets, TRAI should penalise the MSOs and not the customers by asking MSOs to switch off the connection; as the CAFs were not given to the customers on time.

     

    With no official extension notice from the regulatory body, will Kolkata see deactivation of set-top boxes of more and more defaulters at this juncture? Watch this space for the latest updates.

  • TRAI warns MSOs and LCOs in Kolkata to get their act together

    TRAI warns MSOs and LCOs in Kolkata to get their act together

    MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) held a meeting with the leading Multi System Operators (MSOs) in Kolkata to review the progress of implementation of Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems (DAS).

    The regulator has brought up the fact that though sufficient time has elapsed since 1 November 2012 the Subscriber Management System (SMS) of DAS has not been effectively operationalised by the MSOs, providing cable TV service in Kolkata. The SMS is to have complete details of the subscribers including their choice of channels. Unless this is done the full benefit of digitisation cannot be extended to all the stakeholders including the subscribers. This will also help the subscribers to budget their bills.

    In an effort to educate and sensitise the subscribers, TRAI has been issuing public notices from time to time. The broadcasters and the cable TV service providers have also been running scrolls in the TV channels and TV advertisement for the last few months requesting the subscribers to submit the duly filled-in Consumer Application Forms (CAFs). Through these public notices, scrolls and TV advertisements the subscribers were also alerted about deactivation of cable TV services, in case of non-submission of the forms.

    The reason for this was that, in terms of Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems Regulations 2012, MSOs can transmit digital signals and activate the Set Top Box (STB) only after receiving the CAF from the consumer with his/her preference and entering all the details in its SMS. If there is no form, the MSOs are obliged under law not to transmit the signal and deactivate the cable TV services.

    TRAI expressed its serious concern to the fact that only 20 per cent of the subscriber‘s details and their choices are available in the subscriber management system in Kolkata. Whereas this figure is more than 80 per cent in other metro cities and that the inaction on the part of MSOs and LCOs in implementation of DAS will not be tolerated.

    Accordingly the MSOs have been directed to take immediate steps to ensure that the subscribers details and their choice of channels/bouquets/services are entered into the SMS. The regulatory body would be keeping a close watch on the progress in this regard and would take all possible actions, including penal action as per the TRAI Act to ensure compliance of its regulatory framework.

    Cable TV subscribers have been requested to cooperate and submit the CAFs complete in all respect, to the respective LCO/MSO at the earliest, to enjoy the full benefit of digitisation. In event of failure to do so MSOs will have no option but to switch off the signal to those consumers who have not submitted their CAFs otherwise such MSOs would be in breach of the law.

  • ‘Burgeoning distribution costs eating into money that should have been spent on content’

    ‘Burgeoning distribution costs eating into money that should have been spent on content’

    Much has happened this year and yet not a lot has happened.

    For India TV it has been a good year. Two years ago we were number six or seven in the news channel category, with a 5 to 6 per cent share; today we are number three with a 17-18 per cent share.

    The broadcasting industry has seen a huge amount of debate and discussion on the proposed Broadcast Bill and the Content Code. It perhaps looks to an observer like there is much heat and no movement, but I do believe such debate and discussion is essential.

    This is not something that can be done in a hurry. It has very wide implications in a country as free as India, where the media are genuinely free.

    And while the arguments for and against regulation are many, the fundamental thing is that any attempt to legislate a free media has to be done with a great deal of care. It is at the heart of Indian democracy. And as the world acknowledges, we may have a myriad problems but we are a robust democracy despite all odds: it is too valuable to risk.

    On the Content Code there has been a discussion for well over a year, and the government has been open to dialogue, which is excellent. The broadcasters have offered to create their own Code for self-regulation.

    The government has welcomed the offer of the industry to develop its own Code, as it has accepted and notified the ASCI Code for advertising. ASCI is a voluntary body, so the government has encouraged self-regulation, which is great.

    The single biggest problem in the industry today is distribution. It is getting more and more competitive, as more and more channels come into business. The cost is enormous and growing wildly, and it is hurting every broadcaster from the biggest to the smallest, FTA or pay.

    In this battle MSOs and LCOs point fingers at each other, but either way it is costing the broadcaster. And money that could and should have been spent on content is getting spent on distribution instead, and it weakens the industry.

    And as that burgeoning cost is eating into money that could and should have been spent on content, in the end it is affecting the viewer, with no medium term solution in sight.

    Digitisation is the only real answer. Digitisation is slowly coming in the non-CAS areas, but the operative word is ‘slowly’. Anything that the government can do to accelerate digitisation will be for the good of all, mostly for the good of the consumer.

    The other important thing with growing competition is the issue of audience measurement. Periodically there is heated debate, and everyone has an expert opinion on the subject. But listen to what each broadcaster says, and you know how good their ratings are: why else are yesterday’s critics silent today and why were today’s critics silent yesterday, when the system has been the same for years?

    And even as broadcasters and agencies criticize the measurement system they continue to use the data to help in buying and selling Rs 5-6,000 crore worth of advertising, on the nonsensical plea that some data is better than no data.

    There have been impassioned complaints about how the broadcasters and production houses are victims of the rating system, how every Friday when those wretched numbers come in they have to slog overnight to fix the content according to what the numbers tell them.

    It’s Aamir the actor who acts for a living versus Aamir the brand whose equity must be protected, grown and leveraged
    _____****_____

    That’s like a hypochondriac taking his temperature and blaming the thermometer. No one is forcing anyone to use the data, much less what to do about it. If you choose to be tyrannised by it, that’s your choice.

    That is not to say the current system is perfect. That it needs upgrading is beyond doubt. The industry has taken the initiative in that, with the formation of the Broadcast Audience Research Council.

    Whatever the outcome, it can only lead to a better, more robust measurement system.

    The best thing that has happened this year?

    It may sound like a strange thing to say, but to my mind the best thing that has happened is the ongoing debate about the Broadcast Bill and the Content Code. It brings many issues to the fore, many things that we need to be more aware of and many that we need to engage with the government about.

  • ‘Burgeoning distribution costs eating into money that should have been spent on content’

    ‘Burgeoning distribution costs eating into money that should have been spent on content’

    Much has happened this year and yet not a lot has happened.

    For India TV it has been a good year. Two years ago we were number six or seven in the news channel category, with a 5 to 6 per cent share; today we are number three with a 17-18 per cent share.

    The broadcasting industry has seen a huge amount of debate and discussion on the proposed Broadcast Bill and the Content Code. It perhaps looks to an observer like there is much heat and no movement, but I do believe such debate and discussion is essential.

    This is not something that can be done in a hurry. It has very wide implications in a country as free as India, where the media are genuinely free.

    And while the arguments for and against regulation are many, the fundamental thing is that any attempt to legislate a free media has to be done with a great deal of care. It is at the heart of Indian democracy. And as the world acknowledges, we may have a myriad problems but we are a robust democracy despite all odds: it is too valuable to risk.

    On the Content Code there has been a discussion for well over a year, and the government has been open to dialogue, which is excellent. The broadcasters have offered to create their own Code for self-regulation.

    The government has welcomed the offer of the industry to develop its own Code, as it has accepted and notified the ASCI Code for advertising. ASCI is a voluntary body, so the government has encouraged self-regulation, which is great.

    The single biggest problem in the industry today is distribution. It is getting more and more competitive, as more and more channels come into business. The cost is enormous and growing wildly, and it is hurting every broadcaster from the biggest to the smallest, FTA or pay.

    In this battle MSOs and LCOs point fingers at each other, but either way it is costing the broadcaster. And money that could and should have been spent on content is getting spent on distribution instead, and it weakens the industry.

    And as that burgeoning cost is eating into money that could and should have been spent on content, in the end it is affecting the viewer, with no medium term solution in sight.

    Digitisation is the only real answer. Digitisation is slowly coming in the non-CAS areas, but the operative word is ‘slowly’. Anything that the government can do to accelerate digitisation will be for the good of all, mostly for the good of the consumer.

    The other important thing with growing competition is the issue of audience measurement. Periodically there is heated debate, and everyone has an expert opinion on the subject. But listen to what each broadcaster says, and you know how good their ratings are: why else are yesterday’s critics silent today and why were today’s critics silent yesterday, when the system has been the same for years?

    And even as broadcasters and agencies criticize the measurement system they continue to use the data to help in buying and selling Rs 5-6,000 crore worth of advertising, on the nonsensical plea that some data is better than no data.

    There have been impassioned complaints about how the broadcasters and production houses are victims of the rating system, how every Friday when those wretched numbers come in they have to slog overnight to fix the content according to what the numbers tell them.

    That’s like a hypochondriac taking his temperature and blaming the thermometer. No one is forcing anyone to use the data, much less what to do about it. If you choose to be tyrannised by it, that’s your choice.

    That is not to say the current system is perfect. That it needs upgrading is beyond doubt. The industry has taken the initiative in that, with the formation of the Broadcast Audience Research Council.

    Whatever the outcome, it can only lead to a better, more robust measurement system.

    The best thing that has happened this year?

    It may sound like a strange thing to say, but to my mind the best thing that has happened is the ongoing debate about the Broadcast Bill and the Content Code. It brings many issues to the fore, many things that we need to be more aware of and many that we need to engage with the government about.

  • ‘Burgeoning distribution costs eating into money that should have been spent on content’

    ‘Burgeoning distribution costs eating into money that should have been spent on content’

    Marvel Entertainment is tapping the comics business in India. Holding the rights to iconic characters like Spiderman, X-Men and Hulk, it has appointed Kids Media India (KMI) as a subsidiary of Spacetoon Media to represent its licensing, merchandising, publishing and promotional rights in the country.

    Marvel superheroes will be immediately available for licensing on a wide range of consumer products including apparel, stationery, publications, toys and games, party goods and accessories.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Marvel Entertainment International president Simon Phillips talks about the company’s plans for India.

    Excerpts:

    And while the arguments for and against regulation are many, the fundamental thing is that any attempt to legislate a free media has to be done with a great deal of care. It is at the heart of Indian democracy. And as the world acknowledges, we may have a myriad problems but we are a robust democracy despite all odds: it is too valuable to risk.

    On the Content Code there has been a discussion for well over a year, and the government has been open to dialogue, which is excellent. The broadcasters have offered to create their own Code for self-regulation.

    The government has welcomed the offer of the industry to develop its own Code, as it has accepted and notified the ASCI Code for advertising. ASCI is a voluntary body, so the government has encouraged self-regulation, which is great.

    The single biggest problem in the industry today is distribution. It is getting more and more competitive, as more and more channels come into business. The cost is enormous and growing wildly, and it is hurting every broadcaster from the biggest to the smallest, FTA or pay.

    In this battle MSOs and LCOs point fingers at each other, but either way it is costing the broadcaster. And money that could and should have been spent on content is getting spent on distribution instead, and it weakens the industry.

    And as that burgeoning cost is eating into money that could and should have been spent on content, in the end it is affecting the viewer, with no medium term solution in sight.

    Digitisation is the only real answer. Digitisation is slowly coming in the non-CAS areas, but the operative word is ‘slowly’. Anything that the government can do to accelerate digitisation will be for the good of all, mostly for the good of the consumer.

    The other important thing with growing competition is the issue of audience measurement. Periodically there is heated debate, and everyone has an expert opinion on the subject. But listen to what each broadcaster says, and you know how good their ratings are: why else are yesterday’s critics silent today and why were today’s critics silent yesterday, when the system has been the same for years?

    And even as broadcasters and agencies criticize the measurement system they continue to use the data to help in buying and selling Rs 5-6,000 crore worth of advertising, on the nonsensical plea that some data is better than no data.

    There have been impassioned complaints about how the broadcasters and production houses are victims of the rating system, how every Friday when those wretched numbers come in they have to slog overnight to fix the content according to what the numbers tell them.

    That’s like a hypochondriac taking his temperature and blaming the thermometer. No one is forcing anyone to use the data, much less what to do about it. If you choose to be tyrannised by it, that’s your choice.

    That is not to say the current system is perfect. That it needs upgrading is beyond doubt. The industry has taken the initiative in that, with the formation of the Broadcast Audience Research Council.

    Whatever the outcome, it can only lead to a better, more robust measurement system.

    The best thing that has happened this year?

    It may sound like a strange thing to say, but to my mind the best thing that has happened is the ongoing debate about the Broadcast Bill and the Content Code. It brings many issues to the fore, many things that we need to be more aware of and many that we need to engage with the government about.

  • TDSAT upholds Rs 5 tariff by Trai, imposes costs on ESPN Star and Set Discovery

    TDSAT upholds Rs 5 tariff by Trai, imposes costs on ESPN Star and Set Discovery

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) today upheld the tariff of Rs 5 per channel fixed by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) against which three broadcasters had appealed. It also imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 for each of the broadcasters in favour of the sector regulator.

    In its pronouncement on the appeal filed by Set Discovery, ESPN Star Sports (Singapore) and ESPN Software India, TDSAT held that the case was devoid of merit, and thus the appellants are liable to pay costs, totaling Rs 150,000, to Trai, which had proved its case.

    In a related development, some of the respondents in the case that includes Trai, Indus Ind Media and Communications Limited, and Hathway Cable & Datacom Private Limited, have filed a Caveat in the Supreme Court, since the broadcasters are most likely to appeal against the TDSAT order in the apex court.

    While giving its ruling, TDSAT said that the broadcasters had themselves said that 70 to 80 per cent of their revenues come from advertisements, and the bench noted that “at various fora”, it has been argued by the broadcasters that they also generate revenue through sub-licensing and through fees paid by consumers in sending SMSs to the channels.

    It held that the same broadcasters had said that due to underdeclaration by LCOs and MSOs, they get only 20 per cent of the subscription revenue actually generated.

    The tribunal noted that under the Cas regime, wherever Cas has been implemented, there is no longer a question of underdeclaration, and therefore, data on subscription revenue is 100 per cent.

    In this situation, whereas the broadcasters were – as they themselves said – earning only 20 per cent from subscription, the Trai order on Interconnection gave them 45 per cent, which is a sea change.

    Hence, going by the arguments of the broadcasters themselves, the case is devoid of merit and liable for dismissal, with a cost of Rs 50,000 per appellant.

    The tribunal, comprising the full bench of chairperson Arun Kumar, and members DP Sehgal and Vinod Vaish, made the following observations:

    “We have carefully considered the procedure undertaken by Trai for conducting the exercise. We have also considered the justification for the regulation. We find that the approach of Trai in regulating the CAS regime at its introductory stage in the notified areas is fully justified.

    “We find nothing wrong in the process undertaken by the Authority. In this connection we note that the Trai was conscious of its difficulties and the problems which it had to face while conducting the exercise.

    “It was a virgin field and the Chennai model could not serve as a good guide. The exercise was complex and it was made all the more difficult by the non-cooperative attitude of the broadcasters. In the given circumstances, Trai, in our view, has acted fairly by balancing the competing interests.

    “The Authority has promised to revisit the issue, including consideration of deregulation if the circumstances so warrant. The experience to be gained after introduction of CAS would enable it to reconsider everything.

    “This being a transitory phase, the appellants ought to have had patience and ought to have waited till Trai was able to revisit the issue. The hurry on their part to raise the issue before this Tribunal was not necessary.

    “We also cannot help observing that the broadcasters are either unmindful of the fact that they stand to gain in the CAS regime or they are intentionally feigning lack of knowledge of this fact.

    “To say the least, they have not been fair in placing their case before us. We find no merit in these appeals. They are liable to be dismissed. We order accordingly. Appellants will bear the costs of the Respondent, Trai which we quantify at Rs 50,000/- for each appeal. Costs are awarded only in favour of Trai,” the TDSAT order concluded.

  • ‘A revolutionary year that was also one of the government’s total failure to control the broadcasters’

    ‘A revolutionary year that was also one of the government’s total failure to control the broadcasters’

    After working for decades on the analogue system, 2007 was a huge learning year. Whether from the regulator or from the ministry’s side, or from the Prime Minister’s Office, this was a revolutionary year.

    The major thing, of course, was the implementation of CAS, though implementation was partial, but this implementation was a slap on the face of people who put in all their efforts to derail it. More than anyone else, even more than the broadcasters, the ones who tried their level best to stop CAS were the distributors of the MSOs.

    Broadcasters and distributors both lose out if CAS comes in, and the broadcasters are hit because they are earning both from subscription as well as advertisement, and now SMS revenue stream.

    One of the ugliest efforts for derailing CAS this year was the press conference and the false survey report shown by a section of the NGO called VOICE. They said 70 per cent of the CAS subscribers wanted to go back to the old ways, but now it is clear that the so-called survey had been sponsored by a broadcaster and everyone knows who that is.

    It is the advertisers who would have gained because as of now they do not know where their money is going and where they should actually put that in, and SMS in CAS regime would tell the real story. This is why various advertiser groups have come in support of Cas.

    From the content side, again this was a very important year. The viewers were very unhappy with news content and the government tried to do something but eventually failed.

    All these news broadcasters are launching channels every day not to inform the people but to have more and more power, sometimes using that power to blackmail politicians and officials. There is an attempt to capture the media and have clout. If they were serious news people, then one broadcaster would not launch two or three news channels. They are also now launching regional news channels because they want to capture power area-wise and rule there. Apart from earning money, they want to control the mindset of the people.

    The government’s attempts to control these news channels failed miserably because the channels formed a strong lobby against the Content Code suggested by the government. This shows that the government is able to control only the farmer or the last mile operator, the cablewallah. Because as per the Cable Act, only the LMO will be targeted, whether it is for programming content that is unacceptable or the advertisements shown, over which last mile has no control.

    The LMOs do not have too much money, so they lose out in courts because they cannot hire top lawyers, and they cannot lobby with the government because they are not always qualified people or have a political clout. That is why they are the least heard, but this year, that is one big thing that has happened: the government, whether in the ministry or Telecom Regulatory Authority have at least started hearing us. I will tell you how.

    One of the most dangerous things that happened in this year is the total vertical integration of companies who have a finger in all the pies, being broadcasters, running MSOs, getting into DTH, IPTV and mobile TV. The government has failed to take steps against this monopolisation. Their officers are trying but the politicians are not allowing this.

    But two very important positives things happened this year, and if we have not started running, we have taken a few right steps. We are trying to control the broadcasters through some NGOs, and the government has started listening to us. They may not be doing much, but they are surely listening.

    One is the Content Code, and the second is digitalisation, which will help people watch more and more channels. The PMO has formed a committee on digitalisation. The other good thing is that the I&B ministry is trying its best to bring down the duties on the equipment, though finance ministry is not in a mood to listen.