ITV

Tag: Madhya Pradesh

  • Provisionally licensed MSOs’ rises to 561, taking total to over 790

    Provisionally licensed MSOs’ rises to 561, taking total to over 790

    NEW DELHI: At a time when the last phase of the digital addressable system for cable TV is gathering momentum, the government cleared just under forty multi system operators over the past month, taking the total to 792 including 231 which have permanent (ten-year licences) by 26 February.

    The last list issued on 26 February had put the total at 753 including the 231 which have permanent (ten-year) licences. The Information and Broadcasting had by 12 January cancelled the licences of 26 MSOs and closed their cases.

    According to the list issued today but dated till 26 March, the areas of operation of some of the MSOs have been revised or amended. None of the 39 new licencees have got pan-India registration, though some have the registration to cover a particular state and most have only clearances for some districts. The new registrations are for from Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu Gujarat, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra, Pondicherry, Chhatisgarh, Telangana, Odisha, 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 the 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.

    Sources said many MSOs holding provisional licences had not completed certain formalities relating to shareholders and so on.

  • Former I&B Secretary Bimal Julka is now Information Commissioner in Central Information Commission

    Former I&B Secretary Bimal Julka is now Information Commissioner in Central Information Commission

    NEW DELHI: Former Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary and retired Indian Administrative Service officer Bimal Julka is among the three persons who have been appointed Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission.

    The others are retired Staff Selection Committee Chairman Amitava Bhattacharyya and retired Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat Divya Prakash Sinha.

    While Julka was from the Madhya Pradesh cadre of 1979, Bhattacharya was an IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre in the 1980 batch, Sinha was an Indian Police Service officer of the 1979 batch in the Manipur-Tripura cadre.

    The appointments have been made for a term of five years from the date on which they enter upon their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

    The appointments are under the Right to Information Act 2005.

  • Former I&B Secretary Bimal Julka is now Information Commissioner in Central Information Commission

    Former I&B Secretary Bimal Julka is now Information Commissioner in Central Information Commission

    NEW DELHI: Former Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary and retired Indian Administrative Service officer Bimal Julka is among the three persons who have been appointed Information Commissioners in the Central Information Commission.

    The others are retired Staff Selection Committee Chairman Amitava Bhattacharyya and retired Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat Divya Prakash Sinha.

    While Julka was from the Madhya Pradesh cadre of 1979, Bhattacharya was an IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre in the 1980 batch, Sinha was an Indian Police Service officer of the 1979 batch in the Manipur-Tripura cadre.

    The appointments have been made for a term of five years from the date on which they enter upon their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

    The appointments are under the Right to Information Act 2005.

  • MIB grants provisional licence to 32 MSOs in three days

    MIB grants provisional licence to 32 MSOs in three days

    NEW DELHI: In perhaps the largest clearance of provisional licences in such a short time, a total of 32 multi system operators (MSOs) got provisional licences after 8 February, raising the total of MSOs operating in the country to 727 including the 231, which have permanent (ten-year) licences.

    The last list of 8 February had put the figure of provisional MSOs at 464. All the new provisional licencees have got the clearances between15 and 17 February.

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had by 12 January cancelled the licences of 26 MSOs and closed their cases.

    According to the list issued today, the areas of operation of some of the MSOs have been revised or amended.

    Of the new licensees, only one has got the licence for pan-India for the first three phases of digital addressable system (DAS). The rest are from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Utar Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

  • MIB grants provisional licence to 32 MSOs in three days

    MIB grants provisional licence to 32 MSOs in three days

    NEW DELHI: In perhaps the largest clearance of provisional licences in such a short time, a total of 32 multi system operators (MSOs) got provisional licences after 8 February, raising the total of MSOs operating in the country to 727 including the 231, which have permanent (ten-year) licences.

    The last list of 8 February had put the figure of provisional MSOs at 464. All the new provisional licencees have got the clearances between15 and 17 February.

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had by 12 January cancelled the licences of 26 MSOs and closed their cases.

    According to the list issued today, the areas of operation of some of the MSOs have been revised or amended.

    Of the new licensees, only one has got the licence for pan-India for the first three phases of digital addressable system (DAS). The rest are from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Utar Pradesh, Telangana, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.

  • Network18’s News18.com re-branded as Pradesh.com

    Network18’s News18.com re-branded as Pradesh.com

    MUMBAI: Network18’s English news portal targeting global audiences – News18.com, has been re-branded as Pradesh18.com.

    The new portal will be available in five regional languages and bring news content from the heart of India with a dynamic, responsive website, which will cater to readers across languages and regions.

    Touting it as News18 2.0, Pradesh18 will be a more refined and improved version of Network18’s hyper-local website.

    The Pradesh18.com website will be dedicated to the eight Hindi speaking states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana.

    Manned 24×7, Pradesh18.com is powered by ETV journalists as well as by Network18’s team of news professionals.

    The website’s user friendly interface gives a unique experience of live 24X7 news straight from the TV sets to laptops and mobile screens.

  • Network18’s News18.com re-branded as Pradesh.com

    Network18’s News18.com re-branded as Pradesh.com

    MUMBAI: Network18’s English news portal targeting global audiences – News18.com, has been re-branded as Pradesh18.com.

    The new portal will be available in five regional languages and bring news content from the heart of India with a dynamic, responsive website, which will cater to readers across languages and regions.

    Touting it as News18 2.0, Pradesh18 will be a more refined and improved version of Network18’s hyper-local website.

    The Pradesh18.com website will be dedicated to the eight Hindi speaking states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Haryana.

    Manned 24×7, Pradesh18.com is powered by ETV journalists as well as by Network18’s team of news professionals.

    The website’s user friendly interface gives a unique experience of live 24X7 news straight from the TV sets to laptops and mobile screens.

  • DAS Phase III: Govt claims 75% STB seeding; MSOs claim 50% across India

    DAS Phase III: Govt claims 75% STB seeding; MSOs claim 50% across India

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Government claimed total success in the switchover to Phase III of Cable TV Digitisation from today (1 January, 2016), there were reports from various multi system operators (MSOs) in different parts of the country who complained of shortage of set top boxes (STBs).
     
    An MSO in a city that came under Phase II in Madhya Pradesh told Indiantelevision.com that he had received frantic calls from some MSOs wanting STBs.
     
    Similarly, an LCO in Mumbai said that he had received similar calls from other parts of Maharashtra. He claimed that there was just around 50 per cent seeding across the country.
     
    The Hyderabad High Court has already extended the Digital Addressable System (DAS) deadline for two months in Andhra Pradesh and Telengana.
     
    Meanwhile, the 13th meeting of the Task Force was told on 30 December that more than 75 per cent seeding of STBs had been acomplished.
     
    Describing the progress as “very positive,” an official release today noted that seeding has taken place in most of the notified urban areas with STBs, while the seeding-dark area were only around 400 out of more than 6000 urban areas, many of which had population below 1000 while the rest were in areas having population of less than 5000. 
     
    The seeding figures as shared in the meeting indicated a high level of seeding in the country, to the extent of more than 75 per cent, excluding Tamil Nadu where certain legal matters have restricted the process of digitisation. This figure was expected to be higher when all the registered MSOs provide their final figures. 

    Broadcasters were advised to ensure that no analogue signals are transmitted in Phase III areas after 31 December but without affecting analogue signals in Phase IV areas. 

    It was unanimously decided at the meeting presided over by Special Secretary J S Mathur that looking to the positive outcome of the Digitisation Phase III exercise and the fact that the notification for the cut-off date for phase III was issued more than a year ago, there was absolutely no requirement for extension of the cut-off date. 

     
    The Task Force, where Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) R Jaya and Adviser Yogendra Pal were present, noted that various awareness campaigns, Task Force and MSO sub-group meetings and orientation workshops for the state and district Nodal officers have been held during this period. A multilingual toll free helpline (1800 180 4343) has also been made operational.
  • Only 188 community radio stations operational even after a decade of this sector

    Only 188 community radio stations operational even after a decade of this sector

    New Delhi, 25 November: Even as 235 entities have signed the grant of permission agreement (GOPA) for setting up community radio stations in the country, the actual number of operational CRS is only 188 after more than a decade of launch of this sector.

     

    This shows an increase of only eight community radio stations since the last list issued in May this year.

     

    A total of 960 applications for CRS had been either rejected or withdrawn as on 15 November.

     

    However, another 323 applications are still under the consideration of the government from educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, Krishi Viguan Kendras and State Agriclture Universities. Some of these date back to 2011.

     

    The operational stations include 105 by universities and private and government educational institutions, seven by NGOs, seven by Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and five by State Agricultural Universities.

     

    State-wise, Tamil Nadu has the hghest number of CRS with 27, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 23. Maharashtra has 17, Madhya Pradesh has 15, and Karnataka has 14 stations. Uttarakhand, Haryana and Odisha have nine each; Kerala and Rajasthan have eight each; Delhi and Gujarat have six each; Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Telangana have five each; Assam, Chandigarh, Chattisgarh, Puducherry, Punjab, and West Bengal have three each; Himachal Pradesh has two and Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand have one each.

     

    Thus, there are only three CRS in the northeast, and only one in J and K.    

     

    Though the scheme was launched around a decade earlier, the outreach of the Community Radio Stations was enhanced in 2006 to include non Governmental and Community based organizations with at least three years of legal existence.

  • Q2-2016: Ortel YoY revenue up 24.6 percent, PAT more than doubles

    Q2-2016: Ortel YoY revenue up 24.6 percent, PAT more than doubles

    BENGALURU: The Bibhu Prasad Rath-headed regional cable television and broadband internet player Ortel Communications Ltd  (Ortel) has reported a 24.6 percent growth in revenue from operations (TIO) at Rs 45.79 crore as in the quarter ended 30 September 2015 (Q2-2016, current quarter) as compared to the Rs 36.74 crore in the corresponding year ago quarter. TIO in the current quarter was also higher by 12.8 percent as compared to the Rs 40.6 crore in the immediate trailing quarter. Ortel provides services in the Indian states of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal,

     

    Notes: 100,00,000 = 100 lakh = 10 million = 1 crore

    The numbers mentioned in this report are standalone.

     

    The company reported more than a doubling of PAT (up 2.3 times) to Rs 2.83 crore (5.9 percent margin) as compared to the Rs 1.23 crore (3 percent margin) in Q2-2015, and 15.9 percent more than the Rs 2.44 crore (5.7 percent margin) in the immediate trailing quarter.

     

    Ortel President and CEO Rath said, “I am glad to report a strong operational and financial performance for the quarter ended   September 30, 2015. Performance during the quarter was driven by healthy addition in revenue generating units (RGUs) which stood at 571,834. We are witnessing encouraging traction to our LCO buyout strategy in emerging markets like Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and I am confident that this would sustain going forward. Going forward, we would continue with our strategy of aggressive LCO buyouts across all our markets and diligently integrate the new  subscribers into Ortel’s last mile network. Healthy contribution from new RGUs along with ongoing focus on the high margin Broadband business would enable us to deliver strong financial performance in the forthcoming years.”

     

    The company’s EBIDTA (TIO plus Depreciation and Amortisation plus Other Income plus Fixed assets written off minus Total Expenditure) increased 31.3 percent to Rs 17.29 crore (37.8 percent margin) in the current quarter as compared to the Rs 13.17 crore (35.8 percent margin) and increased 8.8 percent as compared to the Rs 15.89 crore (39.1 percent margin) in Q1-2016.

     

    Ortel’s YoY RGUs grew 9.2 percent to 571,834 in Q2-2016 from 523,833 in Q2-2015 and increased 5.5 percent from 542,217 in Q1-2016.

     

    Cable TV RGUs’ increased 9 percent in Q2-2016 to 508,171 from 466,305 in Q2-2015 and grew 5.6 percent from 481,317 in Q1-2016.

    Ortel’s YoY primary digital cable RGUs grew 33.2 percent to 117,401 in Q2-2016 from 88,106 and grew QoQ to 4.5 percent from 112,296 in Q1-2016. Analogue cable RGUs’ increased to 330,739 from 322,175 in Q2-2015 and from 307,923 in Q1-2016. The company says that its Cable TV penetration stood at 23.7 percent and penetration in select 10 towns where company offers digital services stands at 71 percent.

     

    Broadband customers grew 8.9 percent to 63,663 in the current quarter from 57,528 in Q2-2015 and grew 4.5 percent from 60,900 in Q1-2016.

     

    The company has reported a slight drop in digital and analogue cable and broadband ARPUs’ in the current quarter. Digital cable ARPU in Q2-2016 was Rs 183 in Q2-2016; Rs 187 in Q2-2015 and Rs 185 in Q1-2016. Analogue cable ARPU in Q2-2016 was Rs 143; in Q2-2015 it was Rs 147 and in Q1-2016, it was Rs 144. Broadband ARPU in Q2-2016 was Rs 183, in Q2-2015, it was Rs 187 and in Q1-2016, it was Rs 185.

     

     

    Cable Subscription, Connection and Channel carriage fees

     

    The company’s cable subscription fees in Q2-2016 increased 4 percent to Rs 20.6 crore as compared to the Rs 19.8 crore in Q2-2015 and increased 3 percent as compared to the Rs 20 crore in Q1-2016. Connection fees declined to Rs 0.70 crore in the current quarter from Rs 1.1 crore in Q2-2015 and remained flat as compared to the Rs 0.7 crore in Q1-2015.Channel carriage fees in the current quarter increased 44.9 percent to Rs 9.7 crore from Rs 6.7 crore in Q2-2015 and increased 23.8 percent from Rs 7.8 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

     

    Let us look at the other numbers reported by Ortel

     

    Total Expenditure in Q2-2016 increased 13.3 percent to Rs 38.72 crore as compared to Rs 34.17 crore in Q2-2015 and increased 12.5 percent as compared to the Rs 34.42 crore in the immediate trailing quarter.

     

    The company’s Programming cost in the current quarter increased 7.2 percent to Rs 9.44 crore from Rs 8.81 crore in Q2-2015 and increased 5.9 percent from Rs 8.91 crore in Q1-2016.

     

    Bandwidth cost in Q2-2016 increased 19.3 percent to Rs 1.92 crore from Rs 1.61 crore in Q2-2015 and increased 7.9 percent from Rs 1.78 crore in Q1-2016.

     

    Employee Benefits Expense in the current quarter increased 45.5 percent to Rs 5.64 crore as compared to the Rs 3.88 crore in Q2-2015 and was 15.4 percent more than the Rs 4.89 crore in Q1-2016.

     

    Last quarter, Ortel announced that it had introduced free broadband option for all Ortel Cable TV subscribers in the states of Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh as a complimentary special value added service in order to target to deeper penetrate into markets by making internet affordable. Ortel says that its offer includes a free data limit every month for a year. The subscriber will be charged a nominal amount after exceeding the free data usage for the month.