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Tag: Manish Tewari

  • Chennai & DAS: Madras High Court puts I&B, TRAI in a tough spot

    Chennai & DAS: Madras High Court puts I&B, TRAI in a tough spot

    MUMBAI: It seems like deja vu. It was around this time last year that Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Manish Tewari was urging the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to move fast on deciding on the issue whether the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corp should be given a digital addressable system (DAS) licence. The TRAI had responded with a paper issued on 28 December 2013 on “Issues related to entry of certain entities into broadcasting and distribution activities.”

    It had recommended that the Central Government, State Governments and their entities should not be permitted to enter into the business of broadcasting and distribution of TV channels. Based on that, a DAS licence was not issued to Arasu, despite continued pressure from the Centre’s allies AIADMK and Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa.

    Now the ball has landed back with the I&B Ministry over the weekend, with the Madras High Court reportedly telling it to once again take a stand on the MSO’s DAS licence. The court also directed the TRAI not to take any coercive action against it even if it continues to deliver analogue signals to its six million odd subscribers in the state. And it also said the case was adjourned for four weeks.

    “..it is not known to this court why the Centre has not taken any decision on the application of Arasu. When the authorities of the Union of India and the state instrumentality are not in a position to take any decision on granting or receiving the DAS licence, as the case may be, the ultimate sufferers are the subscribers. Therefore, I am of the considered opinion that the subscribers cannot be put to hardship. As such, there cannot be any disconnection of signals to the subscribers by the authorities,” said Justice V Dhanapalan on Friday.

    The Madras High Court issued these orders based on a petition that Arasu cable had filed with it. Arasu, on its part, had taken a decision to move the courts following TRAI’s announcement, earlier this month, that Chennai’s cable TV operators, broadcasters, and MSOs should take positive steps towards complete DAS in Chennai – one of the initial phase I metros – or face its wrath.

    Clearly, the I&B Ministry is in a catch 22 situation. The TRAI in its recommendations has been clear on disallowing state control in cable TV and DAS.

    With the Madras High Court now telling the Ministry to reconsider its earlier stance on it, could the court’s direction provide it with a parachute? With the current government at the Centre appearing to be on shaky ground following the Congress (I) debacle in four states, it might well use this as a trump card to win some points with the AIADMK in what appears to be building up as a tough battle for it in the 2014 elections. Additionally, the ministry and the TRAI also wants tardy Chennai to move full steam on digitisation and licensing the largest player Arasu – albeit it being state owned – might well help it achieve that objective.

    But should the I&B Ministry continues to hold on to its position that it will not issue the licence, digitisation might not really progress as Arasu will not take things lying down as it is a tour de force in the state and in the city of Chennai. With the court ruling in its favour, Arasu is well within its rights to continue with its analogue feed now, no matter how much the TRAI cracks the whip. And that’s something which will make the government’s digitisation diktat look incomplete, with one major metro abstaining from it, as it has been doing for nearly a year or so now.

    Meanwhile, local cable TV in Chennai continues to be pained by what’s being going on in the state. Some cable TV operators who are not part of Arasu’s network in Chennai went on a hunger strike yesterday to protest against the analogue signals being transmitted by it.

    “First and foremost a call needs to be taken on Arasu’s licence but more importantly TRAI needs to caution broadcasters who are giving these analog signals to them. They should be asked to sign official deals with MSOs for giving digital signals only,” says Chennai Metro Cable TV Operators Association General Secretary M.R. Srinivasan.

    Clearly, it seems as if the I&B ministry and the TRAI are caught between a rock and a hard place. Where will the two go from here now is anyone’s guess!

  • IIMC Commences Five Months Diploma Course in Urdu Journalism

    IIMC Commences Five Months Diploma Course in Urdu Journalism

    MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, has commenced a five month Diploma Course in Urdu Journalism intended to promote the proficiency of working journalists in Urdu language newspapers and the capabilities of media professionals in the Urdu language. 

    The initiative to launch the course had been taken after Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari had detailed discussions with working journalists and editors of Urdu language newspapers at the All India Conference of Urdu Editors. During the discussions, the representatives of the Urdu newspapers had requested the Minister to initiate skill and capacity building measures through short term courses in the medium.

    The course currently initiated by the Institute is non residential. It focuses on contemporary trends and practices in the field of journalism, use of technology, copy-writing and writing for TV. The course aims at capacity building and enhancing the skills of practitioners of Urdu journalism. 

    The Indian Institute of Mass Communication invited applications on 16 September 2013 by placing advertisements in leading Hindi and Urdu newspapers. The entrance exam for the Urdu Journalism Course was held on 20th Oct. 2013. Interviews were held on 9 November. 2013. The course commenced on 2nd Dec. 2013 with 8 students, 12 candidates had appeared for the Entrance Examination and out of them 11 had been shortlisted for the interview. The course is expected to be completed by April 2014. 

  • Govt. defends advisory to TV news channels on PM’s Independence Day Speech

    Govt. defends advisory to TV news channels on PM’s Independence Day Speech

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today staunchly defended the advisory issued by his Ministry asking news television channels to make a distinction between a speech delivered by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day and speeches made by different political leaders.

    He said at a press meet here that the President’s address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day or the Prime Minister’s address on Independence Day were not speeches made as leaders of any party but as leaders of the nation. It was therefore wrong to draw parallels between these speeches and those made by leaders of different political parties.

    At the same time, he drew attention to the word ‘advisory’ and said the Ministry’s viewpoint was meant to be just that and not any dictat to the media.

    He said the present government had always stood for freedom of the media and would continue to do so.

     

    Referring to a question about a film on Sardar Patel, he said that the National Film Development Corporation would consider such a proposal if any filmmaker plans to do so.

    He reiterated that while the United Progressive Alliance had always given newspaper advertisements on the birth and death anniversaries of eminent leaders, but it was the previous National Democratic Alliance which had failed to do so, according to figures given by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity.

    Referring to the government’s view on opinion polls conducted by different media publications before the elections, he said that his party was not opposed to them but it could not be denied that such polls could be manipulated. He said the Congress party’s stand on this had been consistent. He said that the Central Election Commission had in fact sought the opinion of all political parties on this issue. While the stand of his party was consistent, the Bharatiya Janata Party had been opposed to opinion polls in 2004 but had supported these in its present view given to the Commission.    

  • Tewari issues clarification on Sardar Patel ad releases by govt

    Tewari issues clarification on Sardar Patel ad releases by govt

    NEW DELHI: The Government gave out 2164 newspapers advertisements on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel between 1998 and 2003.

    Interestingly, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said in a statement in response to statements by certain political leaders that no advertisements were released during the years 1999, 2000 and 2001.

    However, 20,915 newspapers were given the advertisement between 2004 and 2013. No advertisement was given in the year 2008. 

     

    The Ministry said the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity had been regularly releasing advertisements on the birth anniversary of prominent national leaders including Sardar Patel.

    In this context, I and B Minister Manish Tewari said: “The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has always followed a policy to acknowledge the contribution of prominent national figures in nation building by releasing advertisements. The advertisements released on the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel are part of the continued policy of this Ministry of expressing gratitude to great leaders for instilling confidence and inspiration in the young minds.”  

  • News channels want longer security clearance period: Tewari

    News channels want longer security clearance period: Tewari

    Mumbai: News broadcasters have approached the ministry of information and broadcasting to increase the number of years they get security clearance for the channels they run. This was revealed by I&B minister Manish Tewari today in the Lok Sabha in reply to a question, says a Press Trust of India report.

     

    Current regulations put the security clearance given to a company and its directors validity period at three years, and the News Broadcasters Association has made a representation to the I&B ministry to extend it as it makes things difficult for them, disclosed Tewari.

     

    Adding to the news broadcasters woes is the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) decision that a media company should apply for fresh clearances for a new channel even if the firm has got security permissions earlier. Permissions for uplinking and downlinking of channels are issued for 10 years, and hence this has created an anomalous situation.

  • Over Rs 330 crore spent on ads in first ten months of this year

    Over Rs 330 crore spent on ads in first ten months of this year

    NEW DELHI: The Government spent around Rs 332.24 crore on advertising in the period between 1 January and 31 October this year.

    A sum of approximately Rs 288.67 crore was spent in the first ten months of this year on issuing display print media advertisements which usually carry the photographs of present and past political leaders/ministers/other dignitaries.

    In addition, approximately Rs 41.11 crore was spent on electronic media advertisements and about Rs 11.46 crore on outdoor publicity respectively on advertisements which carried the photographs of political leaders; Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari informed the Parliament.

    The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) is the nodal agency of the Government of India for advertising by various Ministries and Organisations of Government of India including Public Sector Undertakings and Autonomous Bodies.

  • Susan Sarandon inaugurates 44th edition of IFFI

    Susan Sarandon inaugurates 44th edition of IFFI

    MUMBAI:  The 44th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) got underway with Hollywood star Susan Sarandon lighting the ceremonial lamp on 20 November.

     

    The inauguration ceremony was attended by actors as well as officials which included the likes of Kamal Hasan, Waheeda Rahman, information and broadcasting secretary Bimal Jhulka, information and publicity (Goa government) minister Milind Naik, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar and union minister of state for information and broadcasting (ind. charge) Manish Tewari.
    Waheeda Rehman was honoured with the first Centanary Award at the event

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Jhukla said: “We are promoting India as a filming destination and to encourage foreign film makers to come to India we are setting up a single window clearance system”.

     

    The top official also said that over Rs 600 crore will be invested on the National Film Heritage Mission. Asia contributes to half of the world’s film production and half of it comes from India, he added.

     

    Asha Bhosle, who spoke on the occasion, said that she herself hailed from Goa and expressed her debt to the film industry. “I sang my first song when I was 10. I have been singing since then. The film line has given us so much,” the legendary singer said.

     

    Susan Sarandon, who won an Academy award for her role in the film ‘Dead Man Walking’, among several other Oscar award nominations, said that she was looking forward to spending her time in Goa appreciating films and the place.

     

    “India has produced so many films rich in history of cinema. I am looking forward to meeting artists and seeing film,” the actress said.

  • TRAI recommendations on accreditation of rating agencies accepted: Tewari

    TRAI recommendations on accreditation of rating agencies accepted: Tewari

    NEW DELHI: Even as the industry body Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) is struggling with its teething problems, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I &B) has accepted view of the Telecom Regulatory of India (TRAI) that the minimum number of homes that a rating agency should measure should be 20,000 within six months of the guidelines coming into force, after which the number should be increased by 10,000 every year to reach 50,000.

     

    Minister Manish Tewari has said that his Ministry would place these guidelines before the union cabinet, a note for which has already been circulated. The Ministry had earlier asked the regulator to provide its guidelines on the issue, after which TRAI had in September released its recommendations including a condition that they be notified within two months.

     

    He said most recommendations had been “more or less accepted.” “Once we have the cabinet approval, we will notify the guidelines,” he added. Interestingly, Tewari, during his speech, also touched upon the dispute on whether the foreign direct investment should be raised for the print media.  While the Press Council of India (PCI) had submitted its recommendations that the current levels of FDI in print media should be maintained, the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) had favoured raising the limit to 49 per cent. “We are trying to build a political consensus after all media is a sensitive area,” Tewari said.

     

    The TV audience measurement mechanism has been a subject of controversy in the past with many channels expressing dissatisfaction with TAM ratings.

     

    Tewari said the amendments to the Press and Registration Books Act were already on the Ministry website and stakeholders’ had sought fresh consultations on issues including ‘paid news’, which had been slated for Tuesday.

     

    Replying to a question related to setting up of a National Gaming and Animation Centre in Mohali in Punjab, Tewari said there was a problem as it was intended to be a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) but the private sector had not responded.

     

    He said government was considering a plan to set up the institute with Japanese assistance. Tewari said bills to give special status to Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute had been sent to the Law Ministry. He said another proposal to give the status of ‘institute of national importance’ to the Indian Institute of Mass Communication was by and large ready.

  • Waheeda Rehman to be honoured with cinema Centenary Award at IFFI

    Waheeda Rehman to be honoured with cinema Centenary Award at IFFI

    MUMBAI: Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman will be honoured with the first cinema Centenary Award at International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on 20 November, the opening day of the festival. The award has been introduced this year and the actress will be the first one to receive it.

     

    This news has been confirmed by Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari. He tweeted saying, “Congratulations to Waheeda Rehmanji for being conferred the inaugural Centenary Award for the Indian Film Personality of the year 2013.” Other than this, the actress has already bagged honours like the Padma Shri in 1972 and the Padma Bhushan in 2011.

     

    The 44th edition of IFFI would be held at Panjim Goa from 20 November, 2013 with Susan Sarandon as the chief guest.

  • Govt. defends advisory to TV news channels on PM’s Independence Day Speech

    Govt. defends advisory to TV news channels on PM’s Independence Day Speech

    NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari today staunchly defended the advisory issued by his Ministry asking news television channels to make a distinction between a speech delivered by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day and speeches made by different political leaders.

     

    He said at a press meet here that the President’s address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day or the Prime Minister’s address on Independence Day were not speeches made as leaders of any party but as leaders of the nation. It was therefore wrong to draw parallels between these speeches and those made by leaders of different political parties.

     

    At the same time, he drew attention to the word ‘advisory’ and said the Ministry’s viewpoint was meant to be just that and not any dictat to the media.

     

    He said the present government had always stood for freedom of the media and would continue to do so.

     

    Referring to a question about a film on Sardar Patel, he said that the National Film Development Corporation would consider such a proposal if any filmmaker plans to do so.

     

    He reiterated that while the United Progressive Alliance had always given newspaper advertisements on the birth and death anniversaries of eminent leaders, but it was the previous National Democratic Alliance which had failed to do so, according to figures given by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity.

     

    Referring to the government’s view on opinion polls conducted by different media publications before the elections, he said that his party was not opposed to them but it could not be denied that such polls could be manipulated. He said the Congress party’s stand on this had been consistent. He said that the Central Election Commission had in fact sought the opinion of all political parties on this issue. While the stand of his party was consistent, the Bharatiya Janata Party had been opposed to opinion polls in 2004 but had supported these in its present view given to the Commission.