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Tag: Maharashtra government

  • Terror strike: News channels asked to delay live telecast

    Terror strike: News channels asked to delay live telecast

    MUMBAI: The news channels, which were boasting of fast and latest footage of terror attacks in Mumbai, were finally asked to discontinue live reportage, following the fear of security threat.

    Agreeing to the request of the securities agencies, the channels agreed to delay live telecast. Reportedly, the agencies had asked news channels to stop their live coverage of the terrorist activities and rescue operations fearing that the terrorists may get information about their movements.

    The news channels, which were on wild run since late night of 26 November, immediately accepted to the request of the agencies.

    Meanwhile, Maharashtra government had issued notification to the cable operators on Thursday night, prohibiting transmission of news channels. “We received notification from the state government,” says a cable operator. “We were asked to shut off news channels, and we had to blackout news channels for a brief period.”

    A senior executive of a leading news channel confirmed of the development. “There was disruption in the signals in morning as cable operators blacked us out. The issue was resolved in minutes and we are back.” 

  • Maharashtra government doubles cable TV tax rate

    Maharashtra government doubles cable TV tax rate

    The government in the western Indian state of Maharashtra has doubled the entertainment taxes that cable TV operators have to fork out to its coffers. Taxes were levied at the rate of Rs 5,10, and 15 per subscriber, depending on the subscriber’s location. These have been doubled. The purpose to enhance the state’s revenues. The government made these announcements in the state budget for 2000-2001 announced yesterday.

    Maharashtra is amongst the leading cable TV viewing states in India. And there is alarm that other state governments may also make similar moves in their budgets.

    Fears have also risen that the imposition will actually lead to a rise in subscriber fees because cable TV operators will not be interested in forking out the higher duty from their pockets. Currently, cable TV subscriber rates in Maharashtra range between Rs 75 and Rs 125 a month. These are expected to go up by about 25 per cent at least with the average cable TV fees rising to Rs 125, unlike Rs 100 that is the average currently.

    Says Siticable western region head D.K. Pandey: “We do not have to pay entertainment tax, it’s the cable TV operator who has to do so. We are not really impacted by the hike.”

    The other MSO in Maharashtra InCableNet is expected to voice a protest against the government’s impost later today. It has been lobbying with the government on this issue. But will the higher entertainment tax result in substantially higher revenues to the exchequer?

    Marginally, probably. Normally, cable TV operators tend to under-declare their subscriber base to the tune of 70 per cent to subscription channels and to government as they want to stem the outflow of money from their end. Since there are no audits or subscriber declaration compulsions to a cable TV authority, they fudge their numbers to reduce their burden. That will likely continue here too. If the tax authorities insist on tax payments based on last year’s entertainment tax disclosures, the cable operator can easily turn around and say that he has lost subscribers to rival or smaller operators or they have not renewed their subscription.