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Tag: MIB

  • NBF seeks members’ view on uplinking/downlinking submission

    NBF seeks members’ view on uplinking/downlinking submission

    MUMBAI: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) secretariat has requested all its members to take a collective view on its submission to the ministry of information and broadcasting on its uplinking/downlinking policy for private television channels and teleport operators. The initial deadline set is 15 May, 2020.

    The NBF secretariat has already reviewed the submissions made by some of its member-channels to TRAI during the consultation process in this regard as well.

    The ministry drafted new policy guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of television channels in view of the fact that broadcasting technology and the market scenario have gone through a major change in this decade. The last guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of satellite television channels were issued by the ministry in 2011. MIB has drafted the suggestions after consulting with stakeholders and has also invited comments on the draft from them within 15 days from the date of the issue of the guidelines. 

  • MIB asks MSOs to submit affidavit for DD channels carriage

    MIB asks MSOs to submit affidavit for DD channels carriage

    MUMBAI: The ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) has asked MSOs to submit an affidavit that they will carry the additional channel launched by the pubcaster Doordarshan on their cable TV networks. While MIB notified another TV channel in the list of mandatory channels last year, MSOs need to extend their list including the channel filed through affidavit at the time of registration.

    “M/o information and Broadcasting vide Gazette Notification S.O. 4136 (E) dated 15.11.2019 had notified another TV channel in the list of mandatory TV channels to be carried on his network by MSO/cable operator making it a total of 27 channels (25 DD Channels, Lok Sabha channel and Rajya Sabha Channel). Accordingly, the list of mandatory TV channels to be carried by MSO duly undertaken vide their affidavit deemed to be extended to the extent including the additional TV channel notified on 15/11/2019 in their list filed through affidavit at the time of MSO registration,” MIB said in a notice.

    “As per Section 11 of the Cable TV Act, if any MSO does not carry mandatory channels on its network in violation of section 8 of the Act, then the authorised officer (DC/DM/SP/SDM/CP) is empowered to seize the equipment used for operation of cable TV network of the defaulters,” it added.

    In respect of a fresh application, the applicant MSOs are required to submit an affidavit to the effect that all mandatory channel will be carried on their networks. The affidavit would be on stamp paper of Rs 100 which will be sworn before a public notary appointed by central or state government.

  • MCOF seeks government relief for last-mile cable operators

    MCOF seeks government relief for last-mile cable operators

    MUMBAI: In the wake of the Covid2019 crisis, Maharashtra Cable Operators Foundation (MCOF) has written a letter to the union minister of information and broadcasting Prakash Javadekar submitting its propositions for long-term relief and transformation of the last-mile cable operators. 

    “Like all other businesses, we too are impacted adversely due to lockdown and economic slowdown. In fact, the impact on us is more severe, since our services including broadband have been classified, and as essential services have to be kept operational. Though we are sure that everyone knows the costs and risks of this, the financial squeeze out of failure to collect our legitimate dues may not be known to many,” MCOF president Arvind Prabhoo stated. 

    He also mentioned that they anticipate a cutting down of spend on both services for a couple of forthcoming quarters and a need to restructure the business that involves two sets of much stronger players: broadcasters and MSOs. 

    Here are the excerpts from the charter: 

    ·  The basic service tier of 200 channels priced at Rs 130 has been requested to be exempted from GST

    ·  LCOs  to be registered with the MIB and accorded recognition as a class distinct from MSO with role-specific duties and rights

    ·  LCOs be treated at par with telcos and allocated part of USOF grants for their Internet-related projects

    ·  The fibre networks belonging to LCOS be evaluated and accorded HCPA (Horizontal Connectivity Provider Agency) status for e-governance and telecom expansion purposes.

    ·  Future-oriented training modules be designed and imparted to cable network executives under the National Skilling Mission.  

    MCOF’s letter to IBF

    Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) also recently wrote a letter to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar seeking an economic relief and rehabilitation package. While IBF has made 18 requests, Maharashtra Cable Operators Foundation (MCOF) also sought specific benefits for the last-mile operators.

    “It is very unfortunate that the media business has grown without interactions, leaving aside integration across the value chain. Current business and resource emergencies provide all of us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rectify all past mistakes and redraw roadmaps for mutual benefits. It is with these views and a sincere desire to ensure not only survival but also growth for all that we are writing this letter to you,” Prabhoo stated. 

    He added that they believe with in view of the power of the media, there is a considerable possibility of most of the 18 point charter of propositions being accepted.

    “We write as the players from the most critical last-mile deliveries which are no less important than the content itself. We do hope that IBF has not taken “I, me, and myself” approach but has considered needs of the entire value chain,”

    He added that they are sure that they too are suffering no less than broadcasters and also rendering services at high costs and risks. Hence, the association has asked to know specific benefits that they may expect to trickle down to them and enable them to keep the services flowing. 

    “We need not impress upon you the fact that without roots no tree can survive and all benefits you may extract would become infructuous if the 60 per cent+ market serviced by LCOS disappears. We have held back submitting our requests cum demands to minimise conflicts and cut short response time for the authorities,” the letter added.

    However, the association is yet to hear from the MIB or IBF. 

  • MIB drafts new policy guidelines for uplinking, downlinking of TV channels

    MIB drafts new policy guidelines for uplinking, downlinking of TV channels

    MUMBAI: The ministry of Information and broadcasting (MIB) has drafted new policy guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of television channels in view of the fact that the broadcasting technology and market scenario have gone through a major change in this decade.

    The last guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of satellite television channels were issued by the ministry in 2011. 

    MIB has drafted the suggestions after consulting with stakeholders and has also invited comments on the draft from them within the next 15 days. Here are the major guidelines noted by MIB:

    Online application on Broadcast Seva for teleport or TV channels:

    A company or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) may apply on Broadcast Seva on payment of processing fees for setting up a Teleport or Teleport Hub and uplinking, downlinking of a news TV channel or a non-news TV channel. The online application shall be processed from the standpoint of eligibility conditions and shall be subject to clearance and approval by the department of space, ministry of home affairs, and whenever considered necessary, by the department of revenue, ministry of finance. However, if considered necessary, the ministry may cause inspection of the physical premise or location.

    Regulations for logo and name of a channel

    For uplinking a news channel or a non-news channel, it has to furnish the proposed name and the logo of the channel along with a trademarks registration certificate regarding the ownership of the name and logo during applying. A company/ LLP shall display on the permitted TV channel only that name and logo which has been approved by the ministry. Hence, display of name and logo which has not been permitted or the display of dual logo would be treated as a violation of the guidelines.

    Operational status of a permitted TV channel

    A TV channel is required to remain operational during the currency of the permission.  Where a TV channel is unable to remain operational for a continuous period of more than 60 days, the company/LLP shall inform the ministry of the status along with reasons for the channel remaining non-operational. Provided that failure to inform the ministry regarding non-operational status of a channel beyond a continuous period of 60 days will be deemed to be a violation under the guidelines. Moreover, the channel shall not remain non-operational for a continuous period exceeding 90 days.

    Live telecast of events

    ·  A news channel which is given permission under these guidelines may uplink news and current affairs content by using the Satellite News Gathering (SNG)/Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG) equipment permitted to it, or hiring such equipment owned by any other permitted news channel owner or a teleport operator, after registering such hiring by means of an application on Broadcast Seva portal.

    ·  A non-news channel having permission under this guideline may, for the purpose of broadcasting an event live (other than an event which is in the nature of news and current affairs), irrespective of the technology used for uplinking the event, register itself online on Broadcast Seva, at least five days preceding the first date of a live event, furnishing such details and documents as may be specified in the application for registration, including the following date, time, venue and name of the event; the channel’s/ teleport’s willingness to broadcast/ uplink the proposed programme/ event; due authorization of the event owner along with specific dates and timings of the proposed programme/ event, a valid WPC license issued to the teleport operator, where a SNG/DSNG equipment or any such technology is used requiring WPC license, where an equipment or technology other than SNG/ DSNG is used, detailed specifications thereof.

    ·  A foreign news channel/agency may be granted permission up to one year at a time for live uplinking from time to time through a pre-designated teleport, by way of an application made in this regard online on the Broadcast Seva Portal.

    Transfer of permission of a television channel or teleport 

    A TV channel or a teleport can be transferred by a company/LLP, to another entity only with prior approval of the ministry. However, transfer under sub-section shall be permitted under the following situations:

    Merger/demerger/ amalgamation duly approved by the court/ tribunal in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013, and the company/ LLP files a copy of the order of the court/tribunal sanctioning the said scheme; transfer of business or undertaking in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, and the company/ LLP files a copy of the agreement/ arrangement executed between itself and the transferee company/LLP; transfer within group company, and the company files an undertaking stating that the transfer is within the group companies.

    Uplinking of television channels for viewing only in foreign countries

    TV channels operating in India and uplinked from India but meant only for foreign viewership are required to ensure compliance of the rules and regulations of the country for which content is being produced and uplinked.

    A channel owned by a foreign company/entity may be allowed to uplink its content to be viewed outside India by using the facility of a permitted teleport operator by way of an online application on Broadcast Seva furnished on its behalf by the concerned teleport operator.

  • Amit Khare to start his second tenure as I&B secretary

    Amit Khare to start his second tenure as I&B secretary

    MUMBAI: He’s back at a post he held just about two years back. Amit Khare, the higher education secretary in the HRD ministry and schools, has been hoicked into the position of secretary, ministry of information & broadcasting (I&B). He replaces Ravi Mittal who has been in the hotseat since December 2019.

    Khare had been appointed to the secretary’s post for the first time on 31 May 2018. It was in December last year, that Mittal got the top charge of MIB during a reshuffle. Now, Mittal has been transferred  as secretary, department of sports.

    Khare is a 1985 batch Indian Administrative Service officer .Considered an upright civil servant, he is credited for unearthing the multi-million dollar fodder scam two decades ago in Bihar for which some powerful politicians, including former Bihar chief minister Lalu Yadav, and senior officials have been handed jail sentences of varied time periods.

    Khare comes into the I&B ministry at a crucial time when the government is battling hard to stem the spread of the dreaded novel coronavirus SARS-COV2 which has already claimed more than 800 lives and afflicted more than 26,000 Indians. Khare will have an important role to play especially considering that the economic trials and tribulations the TV broadcasting, and advertising and media sectors are facing courtesy the government enforced lockdown nationally for the past month or so.  Khare has been relieved of his secretary schools portfolo, while continuing to hold the higher education one.

    During a career span of more than 35 years, Khare has held various field postings and has worked from grassroots to the higher levels of governance in both state and central governments.  Prior to being additional chief secretary, Jharkhand,  Khare served as principal secretary, finance & planning department, Jharkhand. He has served as member secretary in the department of pharmaceuticals, ministry of chemicals & fertilizers, and joint secretary to the in the department of higher education, ministry of human resource development.

  • I&B min requests ministries to clear dues to media

    I&B min requests ministries to clear dues to media

    MUMBAI: The media industry has been in doldrums in India due to a massive drop in ad volumes. While the industry already experienced a slowdown in FY19, the countrywide lockdown has worsened the crisis. Post COVID-19 period, many of the media houses are sacking employees, cutting salaries, shutting down divisions and furloughing workforce, making a huge number of journalists and employees vulnerable. In this dire situation, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has asked other ministries to clear dues to the private media sector and the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) in order to sustain the cashflow.

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    As MIB is in urgency to have their funds released, it has, in a letter to the ministry of communications, ministry of electronics and IT, and department of posts, requested to make the payments to BOC at earliest. The payments are due for various communication and advertisement works undertaken in previous years. MIB has mentioned that it would enable BOC to release it for respective media houses.

    The letter has also mentioned that if all payments due to the private media sector are made to them, it could prevent layoffs and pay cuts keeping the businesses afloat. It also noted that these media houses are supporting the government’s efforts to communicate with its citizens during the COVID-19 crisis.

    So how much money do various ministries owe to the media sector?

    According to a document sourced by Indiantelevision.com, total pending outstanding due to the media sector by several ministries stands at total Rs 230.82 crore, which include  a due of Rs 68.77 crore to the television segment and Rs 99.14 to the print media.

    Ministry of agriculture owes RS 6.14 crore 

    Ministry of communications and IT owes Rs 16.05 crore

    Ministry of corporate affairs owers Rs 1.62 crore

    Ministry of finance owes Rs 30.86 crore

    Ministry of environment and forest owes Rs 2.33 crore 

    Ministry of health and family welfare owes Rs 55.81 core

    Ministry of home affairs owes Rs 6.44 core

    Ministry of human resources and development owers Rs 18.99 crore

    Ministry of labour and employment owes Rs 19.96 crore

    Niti Aayog owes Rs 13.05 crore

    Ministry of rural development owes Rs 24.47 crore

    Ministry of shipping, road transport and highways owes Rs 14.38 crore

    Ministry of social justice and empowerment owes Rs 1.84 crore

    Ministry of textile owes Rs 5.14 crore

    Ministry of tourism owes Rs 4.83 crore,

    Ministry of women and child development owes Rs 8.91 crore

    MIB has also stated how the newspaper industry and FM Radio sector are under stress due to heavy input costs, import duty on newsprint and low advertisement and stoppage of transport respectively. 

  • PIB serves show-cause notice to Public TV for ‘spreading false information’

    PIB serves show-cause notice to Public TV for ‘spreading false information’

    MUMBAI: The Press Information Bureau (PIB) under the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has sent show-cause notice to Kannada news channel Public TV for ‘spreading false information’. The notice has been issued by PIB’s additional director-general M Nagendra Swamy for a programme titled ‘Helicopter Money – Helicopternalli Surithara Modi?’ aired by the channel at 8.30 pm on 15 February which speculated that money could be given free to the people.

    The news item has been termed as "false, mischievous, and deliberate" which clearly violates the Broadcasting Code and Rules. “When the whole country is fighting the COVID-19, your channel, instead of creating awareness and educating the public, (is) spreading false information, creating panic and social unrest,” the notice added.

    “In view of the above serious violation of Cable Television Networks(Regulation) Act, 1995 and Rules, you are hereby directed to show cause why your channel should not be taken out of air immediately,” it stated further.

    The channel has been asked to send a reply within ten days of the notice. PIB's fact check also refuted the news on Twitter.

  • I&B ministry urges state/UT govts to ensure uninterrupted cable services

    I&B ministry urges state/UT govts to ensure uninterrupted cable services

    MUMBAI: The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has requested the state and the union territories to make necessary arrangements for uninterrupted services of cable operation. Although cable services have been included under essential services, some cable operators are facing issues to run operations due to the ongoing lockdown.

    In a letter dated 1 April, the ministry mentioned that it has received complaints from some cable operators. The operators are facing issues in movement as they not being permitted by the local authorities in their operation.

    “As you are aware, the government of India and the state or UT governments are taking necessary steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19. During the country-wide lockdown, in order to ensure uninterrupted operation of basic services, the government of India has issued various guidelines which include the uninterrupted flow of information networks including cable TV network operations,” MIB stated in the letter.

    MIB also mentioned that cable service operators are mandated to show DD channels free of cost to all the subscribers. Since DD provides authentic government-related information, it is important that correct news should reach the public to check rumours and fake news.

  • Govt sets up COVID-19 Fact Check Unit to counter fake news

    Govt sets up COVID-19 Fact Check Unit to counter fake news

    MUMBAI: In the wake of influx of misinformation that the government says is being spread through social media, the press information bureau of the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has set up a portal, COVID-19 Fact Check Unit, which will be operational from morning of 2 April to receive messages by email and send its response in quick time.

    PIB will release a daily bulletin at 8 pm every day to inform government decisions, developments and progress on COVID-19. The first bulletin was released on Wednesday at 6.30 pm.

    The bulletin has been established after the supreme court gave a directive on controlling fake news during the pandemic. One of the reasons for the mass migration of labourers was a rumour that the lockdown would continue for more than three months.

    The solicitor general of the government said that an official bulletin would be published via all media avenues, including social media; other media outlets should use only the official data. The apex court clarified that although it won't interfere with free discussion, the media should refer to the official version of the developments.

    The ministry of health has set up a technical group consisting of professionals from AIIMs, etc., to clarify any doubts in the minds of the general public on any technical aspect of COVID-19.

    The cabinet secretary has written to all the state governments informing them of the constitution of 11 empowered groups under the Disaster Management Act with clear-cut mandate to decide on various aspects of management of COVID-19, with a request to develop a similar mechanism at the state level.

    Moreover, the health department has issued detailed guidelines to deal with psychological issues amongst migrants. State governments have been requested to engage volunteers to supervise the welfare activities of the migrants. 

  • Arnab Goswami decries efforts to stop BARC ratings, seeks MIB help

    Arnab Goswami decries efforts to stop BARC ratings, seeks MIB help

    MUMBAI: News Broadcasting Federation (NBF) has sought the urgent intervention of union information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar to prevent vested interests from stopping the publication of TV ratings.

    NBF president Arnab Goswami has said in a letter addressed to the minister that there have been attempts made by some vested interests to put pressure via the ministry to stop the publication of ratings measured by BARC at a time when news channels work round the clock in this national effort against COVID-19.

    Arnab wrote in the letter: “I am informed that some of these vested interests, who are trying to stop ratings in this period, are doing so to protect their commercial interests, and falsely claiming to represent the news broadcasting industry of India.”

    He requested the minister not to allow any such decision or any such communication from MIB or anyone associated with the ministry to BARC. According to him, such a move by vested interests is worrying news broadcasters and taking their attention away from the collective goal of defeating COVID-19, ensuring the lockdown is successful and the country comes through this together.

    He warned the minister that if such a move is implemented, it will destroy the news broadcasting industry in India, which is doing an incredible job at this crucial juncture.

    “You are aware that the efforts of the news channels have been appreciated by one and all, including the prime minister in his recent video conference with owners and editors of some news channels. In order to continue the effort, which in this period involves creation of informative and relevant news content while covering the entire country at a time when communication and transport is not easy, our hundreds of thousands of professionals are working round the clock, and taking this battle on the frontlines to ensure that COVID 19 is defeated,” Arnab wrote to the minister.

    If news channels also face a situation when ratings are stopped, we will be destroyed and our organisations will be at peril, said the NBF president. He reminded the minister that while individual channels or bodies may claim to speak for the news broadcasters, they are only defending their short-term interests.

    He also reminded the minister that news broadcasters are completely dependent on publication of TV ratings to run their business. “We are doing committed public service broadcasting in this period of national emergency,” he stated.

    The latter has been copied to the relevant authorities at BARC for their information as well.