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Tag: MIB

  • MIB issued licence to ZMCL; Leader, Turner and Zee ME among five cancelled last month, nine allowed as per court orders

    MIB issued licence to ZMCL; Leader, Turner and Zee ME among five cancelled last month, nine allowed as per court orders

    MUMBAI: In all, the number of private satellite TV channels having valid permission in India as of 30 September, 2017, are 877. Of these, the number of permitted news and current affairs channels is 388, according to data provided by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB).

    In fact, the total number of permissions granted to private satellite TV channels so far is 1098, of which 221 permissions have been cancelled so far.

    Last month, MIB issued one and cancelled five licences. The solitary permission granted was to Zee Media Corporation Ltd (ZMCL), to launch Zee Uttar Pradesh Uttarakhand.

    The channels licences of which were revoked are — Leader Television and Entertainment’s Leader TV, L And C Media’s SS Entertainment, Turner International India’s TCM Turner Classic Movies, Vyjayanthi Televentures’ Mayabazar and Zee Cinema Middle East.

    Of the 877 channels, nine have been cancelled by the MIB but are running following orders from the courts of law. These are —

    1. Punjab Today

    2. STV    Jammu-Kashmir News
    (Earlier STV – Marathi News)

    3. STV Haryana News

    4. STV    UP    News (STV-Rajasthan)
    (Earlier STV    Bihar-Jharkhand News)

    5. Mahuaa Media Private News
    Uplinking    03-03-2016*

    6. Mahuaa News
    Mahuaa Media Private Limited
    News
    Uplinking    03-03-2016*

    7. First    India    (earlier, Mahuaa Khobor)
    Mahuaa Media Private Limited
    News
    Uplinking    03-03-2016*

    8. Mahua  Music  (Mahuaa  News  Line)
    (Uttar Pradesh /Uttrakhand)
    [earlier Mahuaa Bangla]    
    Mahua Media Private Limited
    Non-news
    Uplinking    03-03-2016*

    9. Mahuaa Movies
    Mahuaa Media Private Limited
    Non-news     
    Uplinking    03-03-2016*

    The total number of TV channels permitted for uplinking from India, and downlinking into India is 778, of which 368 are new channels, and the remainder is the number of non-news channels.

    The number of TV channels permitted for uplinking from India but not permitted to downlink in India is 16, of which five are news channels. And, the number of TV channels permitted to only downlink into India (uplinked from aboard) is 83, of which 15 are news channels.

    click here to view list

  • Post-DAS, tardy MSO registrations in six months, 14 new additions

    Post-DAS, tardy MSO registrations in six months, 14 new additions

    NEW DELHI: Despite the fact that it is more than six months since the country adopted digital addressable system (DAS) for cable television, the number of multi-system operators (MSOs) has risen by meagre 14 over the last two months to reach 1469 as on 30 September 2017.

    This total reflects poorly against figures given by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) before the DAS Task Force that there are 6,000 MSOs in India.

    The total at the end of July was 1455. In the latest list put on its website on Tuesday, the ministry has noted the cancellation of Live Satellite in Maharashtra. Early this year, the government had said all provisional multi-system operators will be deemed as having regular licence. 

    Unlike last time, there is no separate list of MSOs who have gone to court like Godfather Communication Pvt Ltd of Punjab judgment in the case of which was expected at September-end or of the Tamil Nadu Arasu TV Corporation which has been given time till this week to prove it has switched off analogue signals. The MSO had claimed to have gone digital on 1 September.

    MIB officials had earlier this year told indiantelevision.com that it had been made clear that the provisional licence was subject to the Centre taking a final decision on the recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that no government owned body should be permitted in the field of running or distributing television channels.  TRAI had in 2008, 2012 and 2014 held that state governments and political parties should not be permitted to own TV channels or distribution channels.

    There is a no list of cancelled MSOs or those whose cases have been closed. The figures revealed on 3 August until July-end had given a list of 63 MSOs whose licences were cancelled or cases closed.

    Faced with just less than one month to go before total switch-off of analogue signals, the Government had on 6 March 2017 decided to treat all MSOs as permanent but with condition that the period of ten years commences from the date they got registered as provisional MSOs.

    However, if the continuation of registration of any MSO is at any time found to be or considered detrimental to the security of the State then the registration so granted is liable to be cancelled/suspended, the order placed on the MIB specified. All other terms and conditions depicted in the provisional registration letters will continue to apply.

    Earlier, on 27 January 2017, it had been decided that all registered MSOs are free to operate in any part of the country, irrespective of registration for specified DAS notified areas granted by MIB.

    However, they have to submit the details of headend, SMS, subscribers list and a self-certificate that they are carrying all the mandatory TV Channels, within six months from date of issuance of MSO registration, to MIB, failing which the MSO registration is liable to cancelled/suspended.

    Hence, all deemed regular registered MSOs also are required to submit the details to the Ministry within six months. The ministry list also contains full details of ownership and date of permission including contact details of the MSOs.

    Also read :

    Including Arasu, total number of MSOs goes up to 1376, to ensure DAS implementation

    37 new MSOs in 45 days takes total to 1421, seven among 59 cases sub-judice

    Godfather, Kal, Digi Cable & Intermedia licence cancellation stayed, 50 ‘pan-India’ MSOs’ op area changed

     

  • TN advisory: LCO licences may be cancelled if they bully Arasu subs into buying STBs

    TN advisory: LCO licences may be cancelled if they bully Arasu subs into buying STBs

    MUMBAI: A Tamil Nadu state advisory has informed subscribers of Arasu Cable not to pay money to the local cable operators (LCOs) for set-top boxes (STBs) which are actually being provided to all for free.

    Arasu Cable, as per a state government statement, is the only state-owned undertaking in the country to offer free STBs combined with internet services and digital cable TV, and a three-year warranty.

    Indiantelevision.com had reported that Arasu Cable (TACTV), which had early in September, claimed to have gone digital, was on 25 September asked to “confirm that you have already switched off analogue signals and are carrying only digital encrypted signals on your cable TV network.” In a letter to TACTV, sent by the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB), the multi-system operator (MSO) was asked to reply within 10 days of issuance of the letter, “failing which your registration is likely to be suspended/revoked.”

    The state advisory, meantime, now has also cautioned subscribers of Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation (TACTV) against buying the STB from private dealers, the Times of India reported. If the LCOs were found to be bullying subscribers into paying for STBs, their licence could be cancelled, the state government has warned.

    The advisory has urged subscribers to report cases where LCOs had asked them to buy STBs from private dealers through the Arasu cable helpline.

    The state government had, a month ago, begun distribution of free STBs among Arasu subscribers. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had launched the service through the government-owned enterprise after inaugurating MPEG-4 upgraded control room for digital signal transmission.

    Arasu’s approximately 70 lakh subscribers would have access to around 180 channels in digital mode. There will be four packages with monthly subscription between Rs 125 and Rs 275 with option of both free and paid channels.

  • Govt panel discusses autonomous Prasar’s ‘outreach’ funding from external affairs ministry

    Govt panel discusses autonomous Prasar’s ‘outreach’ funding from external affairs ministry

    NEW DELHI: With the central government laying emphasis on its external relations, particularly with neighbouring countries, the Standing Advisory Committee of All-India Radio has decided to work in tandem with the external affairs ministry with regard to reaching out to other countries through its broadcast services.

    The Committee, which met recently after 34 years (the last meeting was in 1983) and for the first time after Prasar Bharati came into being in 1997, took various decisions which will enable greater interaction between the external affairs ministry and the pubcaster.

    AIR external services director Amlanjyoti Mazumdar told Indiantelevision.com that the meeting, held at the initiative of AIR, was chaired by the ministry of information and broadcasting additional secretary Jayashree Mukherjee though the committee is headed by the MIB secretary.

    The committee was “revived and reconstituted” as part of the revamping process of the External Services Division (ESD) of the public broadcaster.

    The committee represents various stakeholders of public diplomacy like ministries of external affairs and home affairs as well as the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

    Mazumdar said that under Section 12(4) of the Prasar Bharati Act 1990, the ESD has to be funded by the external affairs ministry. However, ESD has, so far, been funded through internal resources of the pubcaster. This matter was also taken up at the meeting, where it was clearly stated that channels like Voice of America or Germany’s Deutsche Welle or the external services of Canada were funded by the foreign affairs departments of those countries.

    Mazumdar said the issue was never raised when the government was funding All-India Radio and Doordarshan, but had become important after Prasar Bharati came into being as an autonomous organisation.

    One of the issues discussed in the meeting was how to counter the increasing penetration of foreign radio broadcast in the country, particularly in the north eastern states, sources said.

    It was pointed out that, at a time when the government is keen to reach out to the neighbouring countries, AIR did not have a service for Bhutan.

    A strategy for broadcasting outside India like in Myanmar and Tibetan Autonomous Region was also discussed during the meeting, they said.

    The role of Indian missions abroad to enrich the programme with country-specific inputs was also discussed in the meeting, the sources added.

  • MIB minister Smriti Irani orders review of DD prime time auction process

    MIB minister Smriti Irani orders review of DD prime time auction process

    NEW DELHI: Doordarshan has put on hold the prime time slots auctioned to Ektaa Kapoor-managed Balaji Telefilms and Saaibaba Telefilms following instructions from the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB).

    Doordarshan sources told Indiantelevision.com that the action was taken after a directive from the office of the MIB secretary in mid-August, just before two of the slotted programmes were slated to go on air on DD National.

    The sources, who did not want to be identified, said the new MIB minister Smriti Irani had decided to review the whole process and take a fresh look at the concept of auctioning slots for prime time in Doordarshan.

    Prime time auctions were held as part of the pubcaster’s efforts to infuse some breath of fresh air in the programming lineup of its main channel and also earn additional revenue in the process.

    Balaji Telefilms bagged four slots and Saaibaba Telefilms pocketed two slots as a result of Doordarshan’s prime time slot auction, although financial details are not known.

    Bag Films and Media of Delhi, which had also been shortlisted, had failed to bag any slot as its bids were lower than those by the other two bidders.

    ALSO READ:

    Doordarshan slots Rafi, Kishore & Lata tribute show from Sat

    DD relaxes norms for prime time slot bidders as incentive

    Suresh Panda may be Prasar Bharati interim CEO; liberal DD auction criteria recommended

  • MIB tells MSOs: Report on cable ops and subs grievance redressal mechanism

    MIB tells MSOs: Report on cable ops and subs grievance redressal mechanism

    NEW DELHI: All multi-system operators have been asked to send to the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) details of the grievance redressal mechanism drawn up by them to hear complaints of cable operators and subscribers.

    Pointing out that this is mandatory under Rule 12(2) of the Cable Television Networks Rules 1994 for every cable operator and multi-system operator, the ministry has sought a report by 25 September 2017 from all MSOs.

    At the outset, the note says that during the implementation of Digital Addressable System (DAS) which became operational from 1 April this year, a large number of complaints have been received on the following issues:

    i)                   Non-issuance of payment receipts/computer bills,

    ii)                Abrupt stoppage of services and/or channels by cable operators without any notice,

    iii)              No fixed price of STBs- different operators charge different rates,

    iv)              Non-filling up of CAF,

    v)                 Non-operationalisation of toll-free number for redressal of consumer grievances,

    vi)              Non-creation of web-site for logging of complaints

    vii)            Not providing a-la-carte choice of channels

    viii)         Nodal officer name not notified

    Rule 12(2) says MSOs and LCOs “shall devise a mechanism for grievance redressal of subscribers in respect of the services offered by them in such manner as may be specified by the Authority and inform the details thereof to the subscribers through the cable service or the website or any other appropriate means and such information shall also include the address and telephone number where a subscriber can file a complaint and the time period within which grievances are to be addressed, the manner of communication of the redressal to a subscriber and the feedback thereon from the subscriber.”

    It added that under the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India regulations on Consumers Complaint Redressal (Digital Addressable Cable TV Systems) Regulations 2012 dated 14 May 2012, every MSO and the linked LCOs should have to:

    i)      establish a ‘web-based complaint monitoring system’ to enable the consumers to monitor the status of their complaints

    ii)    establish a complaint centre in his service area and publicise the toll-free Consumer Care Number.

    iii)  appoint or designate one or more Nodal Officers in every state in which it is providing its service.

    ALSO READ :

    MIB directs states to ensure TV digitisation & action against defaulters

    MIB show-causes MSOs on incomplete digitisation info

    Arasu ‘monopolistic practices’ decried by LCOs, TN body seeks GST exemption

  • Cinema 24×7 gains most, Media Worldwide, Malai Murasu and Anaadi in 10 new channels’ list

    Cinema 24×7 gains most, Media Worldwide, Malai Murasu and Anaadi in 10 new channels’ list

    NEW DELHI: As many as 10 private television channels got clearance in August and early September 2017, with Cinema 24×7 Pvt Ltd being the largest gainer with seven general entertainment slots.

    The other three are — Bangla Talkies by Media Worldwide Ltd, and two news channels: Malai Murasu Seithikal by Chennai Murasu Pvt Ltd, and Anaadi TV by Asnani Builders and Developers Ltd.

    Following cancellation of permission to 216 channels, the total number of permitted private TV channels in the country is 881 as on 5 September 2017, which includes 10 channels which had been granted stay by the courts of law.

    Thus, the total number which had received clearance from the government stands at 1097. As many as nine channels were cleared in August and one earlier this month. The ministry of information and broadcasting has not revealed the 216 channels licences of which have been cancelled.

    The list of 881 includes 387 news and 494 GEC channels. While 780, including 367 news channels, have been permitted to uplink and downlink from within the country, 84, including 15 news channels, have been uplinked overseas and downlinked in India. A total of 17 channels including 12 GECs are uplinked from India but beamed overseas.

    Of the channels which have stay orders, five belong to Mahua Media Private Ltd and four belong to STV Enterprises Ltd.

    But, this total is far short of the claim made last year that India will have 1500 channels by the end of March this year.

    The number of total channels had grown from 869 in February-end 2016 to 892 in February-end this year but had fallen by 10 since. In fact, the number had risen to 899 by the end of December 2016 when the total cancellations were 155. By January-end this year, the number had fallen to 889 of which 12 banned channels had obtained stay orders from the courts.

    The list of the channels permitted as on 5 September 2017 along with their area and language of operation and the names of owning companies has been placed on the ministry’s site.

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee for Information Technology which goes into issues relating to information and broadcasting had last year noted that the State Finance Commission while drafting its proposals for the 12th Plan (2012-17) had assumed that the number of permitted TV channels would rise to 1500.

    Meanwhile, the Committee was told that the present set up of Electronic Media Monitoring Centre had developed logging and recording facility for 900 TV channels and is thus fully equipped to start monitoring of all permitted channels available on public domain.

    The Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd. (BECIL) is configuring all available free to air channels in the content monitoring system of the EMMC.

  • Smriti Irani & Rathore retain two portfolios each, latter elevated

    Smriti Irani & Rathore retain two portfolios each, latter elevated

    NEW DELHI: Textile minister Smriti Zubin Irani has also been made the union minister for information and broadcasting (MIB) in the allocation of portfolios after reshuffle and expansion of the Union Cabinet.

    Irani was earlier given the additional charge of the ministry of information and broadcasting after M Venkaiah Naidu resigned following his nomination as the vice-president. It was feared that she would be divested of one of her two portfolios after the reshuffle, but she will continue to hold both.

    Meanwhile, Col. (Retd.) Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has been elevated as the minister of state (independent charge) of youth affairs and sports, even as he will continue to hold the post of minister of state for information and broadcasting.

    Irani comes from a media and entertainment background having been a television actress. Rathore is a professional shooter who won a silver in the Olympics and multiple medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games and is the recipient of both, a Padma Shri for sports and an Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for the Army.

    ALSO READ :

    Smriti Irani gets additional charge as MIB minister

    Smriti Irani tweets industry body advisory urging restraint by TV news channels

    NFDC to manage International Film Festival of India now

    Govt wants all ministry ads in Hindi too

  • MIB gets a new additional secretary – Ali Raza Rizvi

    MIB gets a new additional secretary – Ali Raza Rizvi

    NEW DELHI: Senior Indian Administrative Officer Ali Raza Rizvi, a 1988 batch officer from the Himachal Pradesh cadre, has been transferred as the additional secretary and financial advisor to the information and broadcasting ministry.

    Rizvi had, in the third week of July this year, been asked to join as the chairman and managing director of the National Mineral Development Corporation at the rank of additional secretary, which stands cancelled, now. He had been the joint secretary in the commerce ministry till that order came in, and was at present was the additional secretary in the same ministry.

    Prior to joining the commerce ministry, he had been the joint secretary in the health ministry.

  • Arasu to formally launch DAS in Chennai on Sept. 1

    Arasu to formally launch DAS in Chennai on Sept. 1

    NEW DELHI: The Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation, which is still to get a permanent digital licence necessary for an MSO, is formally launching its digital system on 1 September 2017. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami is expected to grace the occasion.

    Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had in April this year given a provisional MSO licence to Arasu on the condition that it adopts DAS within three months, a condition that has been extended from time to time.

    Taking the ground that it had failed to get an adequate number of digital set top boxes, TACTV or Arasu had sought extension for three months beyond mid-July, but the centre had only agreed to one month till 17 August 2017. Consequently, TACTV has been asked to complete the digitisation process by 17 August failing which the provisional the “registration may be suspended/revoked.”

    A TACTV official, who did not want to be named, had then told indiantelevision.com that the state government-controlled MSO already put up most of the digital head-ends and would be ready to transmit signals by mid-August.

    According to an Arasu official, the real problem lay in the availability and seeding of seven million digital set top boxes, which may take more time. It had floated tenders in this connection to get India-made STBs, the official had said.

    Arasu is aiming at six million standard definition (SD) set-top boxes and one million high definition (HD) set top boxes.

    The proposed TV services (300 channels to start with that would be expanded to 500) will be in MPEG 4 standard definition. About 30 TV channels would be beamed in HD, while there would be also provision for 20 FM audio services.

    Though the regional party in Tamil Nadu AIADMK, which regained hold over Tamil Nadu few years back, had promised to give free STBs to subscribers as part of its election campaign, Arasu sources said a final call on that will be taken by the chief minister.

    AIADMK, a political ally of the ruling BJP-led coalition in New Delhi, is presently in turmoil and witnessing intra-party churning.

    Few days back, local cable operators had held a protest rally against Arasu alleging that it was being handed favourable treatment by MIB and that distribution of free STBs would upset the business model other players in the state.

    Meanwhile, the government is still to take a final decision on repeated reports by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India that states, political parties, and religious groups should not be permitted in broadcasting or distribution sectors.

    ALSO READ:

    Arasu gets a month’s extension to go digital

    Arasu seeks more time to go digital as it waits for STBs

    Arasu ‘monopolistic practices’ decried by LCOs, TN body seeks GST exemption

    Godfather, Kal, Digi Cable & Intermedia licence cancellation stayed, 50 ‘pan-India’ MSOs’ op area changed