ITV

Tag: MIB

  • Stockmarket reacts to buzz on FDI raise to 100 per cent in DTH, cable TV firms

    Stockmarket reacts to buzz on FDI raise to 100 per cent in DTH, cable TV firms

    MUMBAI: Is the government going ahead with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s August 2013 recommendation of allowing a hike in foreign direct investment (FDI) in content carriage companies to 100 per cent from the current 74 per cent? And in news channels from 26 per cent to 49 per cent?

     

    No formal announcement has come as yet, but the buzz is that  the Narendra Modi-led government is indeed looking at TRAI’s recommendations which have been gathering dust on the ministry of information and broadcasting’s shelves at Shastri Bhavan in Delhi.  A while ago finance and MIB minister Arun Jaitley had stated that technology had made FDI limits on news channels redundant.

     

    Apparently, an inter-ministerial committee is examining that proposal (which was part of TRAI’s consultation paper released in 2013)   along with those relating to hiking the foreign investment limits in cable TV direct-to-home (DTH), internet TV, mobile TV, HITS (headend-in-the sky) and teleports from 74 per cent to 100 per cent.

     

    But the buzz generated by a Press Trust of India report was enough to lead to  a rise in the share prices of at least two listed content carriage firms  – the Essel group owned Dish TV and the Sameer Manchanda promoted DEN Network on 21 September. DEN, along with the Rajan Raheja promoted Hathway Cable have been enabling themselves to be in  a position to hike the foreign investment limits in their firms  to 74 per cent.

     

    Dish TV shares closed at Rs 116.45, 6.59 per cent higher than its previous close. To be fair to Dish TV, the share is being tipped by almost every investment advisory firm as a stock to be bought as it has been showing an improvement in its financial performance.

     

    At an early stage of the day (Monday) Den Network’s share were up by 1.53 per cent priced at Rs 129. The day, however,  ended with  its shares at Rs 126 down by 0.35 per cent compared to the previous close. Other listed MSOs such as  Siticable, Hathway and Ortel Communications, also saw similar downward movement in their stocks after climbing earlier in the day.

  • MIB asks FM Phase III bidders to pay full amount by 1 October

    MIB asks FM Phase III bidders to pay full amount by 1 October

    NEW DELHI: All successful bidders for the 91 FM Radio channels in 54 cities that were announced yesterday in the first stage have been asked to pay the bid deposit – 25 per cent of the bid amount – by 21 September. The balance will have to be paid by 1 October. 

    Both amounts have to be paid by demand draft in the name of the Pay and Accounts Officer, Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

     

    At the same time, the Ministry warned that if the bid deposit is not received by the due date, the earnest money deposit (EMD) will be forfeited, and if the balance is not received by 1 October, the bid deposit and EMD will be forfeited.

     

    The Ministry also made it clear that this was without prejudice to any other action that it may take against defaulters.  

     

    While placing the results of 91 channels in fifty-four cities on the website of the Ministry, the frequency allocated and the successful bid amount was also stated.

     

    The Ministry said the results do not include the results of the bids by Sun TV, South Asia FM and Kal Radio in compliance with the orders of the Madras High Court.

     

    It also said the Centre had decided to file a special leave to appeal in the Supreme Court against the order of 26 July of the Delhi High Court of Delhi in the petitions by Digital Radio (Mumbai) Broadcasting Ltd. & Digital Radio (Delhi) Broadcasting Ltd. respectively.

     

    Even as the government withheld six results because of legal cases, Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL) emerged the largest gainer with 17 channels in its kitty. 

     

    Rajasthan Patrika Pvt Ltd, Reliance Broadcast Network and DB Corp Ltd got 14 channels each. Meanwhile, Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd has got 11 channels and HT Media has 10 channels. Digital Radio (Delhi) Broadcasting Ltd and Abhijeet Realtors and Infraventures Pvt Ltd got two channels each.

     

    Others who have successful bid and got one channel each are Digital Radio (Mumbai) Broadcasting Pvt Ltd, Renderlive Films and Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Sarthak Films Pvt Ltd, Abir Buildcon Pvt Ltd, Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Co Pvt Ltd and Odisha Television Ltd.

     

    The auction was stopped on the 33rd day after just one round, with 97 channels in 56 cities became provisional winning channels with cumulative provisional winning price of about Rs 1156.9 crore against their aggregate reserve price of about Rs 459.8 crore.

  • MIB awaits note on Sun security clearance denial from Home Ministry before moving SC

    MIB awaits note on Sun security clearance denial from Home Ministry before moving SC

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is still awaiting detailed instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs on rejection of security clearance to the Sun TV group, even as the Government appears to have made up its mind to file a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court challenging orders of the Delhi and Madras High Courts with regard to the Sun TV group participating in FM Phase III e-auctions.

     

    An MIB official told Indiantelevision.com that the Home Ministry had been asked earlier and also later reminded to send a detailed note on its reasons for rejection of security clearance. The official added that it is the MIB, which will file the SLP being the Ministry dealing with FM Radio and therefore it needed to be clear on the reasons for rejection of security clearance.

     

    Meanwhile, it is learnt that top officials of the Home Ministry are taking legal opinion on the issue of framing an SLP to challenge the 26 July order by the Delhi High Court and that of the Madras High Court earlier. 

     

    The Delhi High Court had allowed Red FM, which is owned by Sun TV, to participate in Phase III of the first FM e-auction, which commenced on 27 July.

     

    It is expected that the government will take the ground that the two courts had not taken into consideration: the pending criminal charges against Sun Group promoters including Kalanithi Maran, who is one of the Directors of Red FM, and the implication it has on national and economic security.

     

    Justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva of the Delhi High Court had said Clause 3.8 of the Notice Inviting Applications for the auction had reference only to the company and its directors and there is no mention of its shareholders. Both Dayanidhi Maran and Kalanithi Maran are shareholders and therefore the Clause does not apply to them.

    The Court had said Digital Radio (Delhi) Broadcasting Ltd and Digital Radio (Mumbai) Broadcasting Ltd, which run Red FM in these two cities have not been alleged to be vehicles of any transgression of law and have been functioning since 2002-2003 without there being any allegation regarding their functioning resulting in any security concerns.

  • TDSAT reflects on unprecedented course of MIB in Star – Arasu case

    TDSAT reflects on unprecedented course of MIB in Star – Arasu case

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Disputes Settlement and Arbitration Tribunal (TDSAT) hearing a case by a local cable operator against Star India, described as ‘strange and unprecedented’ the course adopted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) in responding to its question relating to denial of digital addressable system (DAS) licence to the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation Ltd.

     

    Following an order on 11 August asking the MIB to give its stand on the issue, the Ministry had sent ‘a note to the Tribunal through a messenger.’

     

    Passing its order in the presence of the Section Officer on 14 August, the Tribunal said the Ministry should send a senior level officer and also take an advocate to represent it and may additionally file an affidavit giving its point of view. It made clear that it was not accepting the note brought by the Section officer and was returning it.

     

    The Tribunal had early this month put out a notification asking broadcasters who may want to join the case to get impleaded.

     

    The application by Star India related to a cable operator giving its signals in analogue mode to Chennai – which had gone digital in the first phase – and in violation of the letter of intent by giving signals to Chennai when the agreement was only for the rest of Tamil Nadu.

     

    Listing the matter for 2 September, TDSAT also said Star India, respondent in the case filed by cable operator Thamizhaga Cable TV Communication, New Delhi, was free to negotiate with Arasu and other multi-system operators (MSOs) for areas in Chennai for DAS and outside Chennai for analogue transmission.

     

    At the same time, TDSAT chairman Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava said that there would be no disconnection of signals until the next date.

     

    It also directed that Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) should be impleaded as a party since other broadcasters were also giving signals to Arasu for Chennai though it did not have the DAS licence. Option was also given to other broadcasters if they wanted to be impleaded.

     

    However, the Tribunal held Arasu guilty of transmitting television signals in Chennai in analogue mode, and at the same time guilty of using Star signals in the metropolis without any authorization from Star India.

  • MIB criticised for violating contractual norms for national film museum construction

    MIB criticised for violating contractual norms for national film museum construction

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) failed to secure compliance with provisions of the contract before releasing advance payments to National Buildings Construction Corporation for the National Museum on Indian Cinemas (NMIC) leading to blocking of funds while the intended objective of commissioning the Museum for public remained unfulfilled.

     

    Rejecting the reasons given by the Ministry, the Comptroller and Auditor General has said in its latest report that the Ministry prematurely released payments without observing linkages with various milestones of construction activity and their completion. 

     

    Out of a total sum of Rs 88.11 crore released to NBCC between March 2010 and March 2011, only Rs 36.72 crore had been utilised leading to blocking of substantial sum with the NBCC.

     

    CAG said there was no provision of advance payment except payment on signing of contract between the Ministry and the NBCC.

     

    The Films Division of the Ministry had in 2010 initiated a project on turnkey basis of constructing the NMIC in the Films Division Complex at Mumbai proposed to be commissioned for public during the centenary year of Indian Cinemas in 2013. 

     

    Under the contract, the estimated cost of work was Rs 101.20 crore with expected date of completion being June 2012. 

     

    Under clause 7 of the contract, the payment to NBCC was to be based on actual cost of all the works of the project and it included all the costs as paid to contractors/suppliers etc. Payments to NBCC were to be released on completion of various milestones as specified in the contract. 

     

    NBCC had to submit report for requirement of funds and while submitting the invoice it had to certify that it had completed the activity as per schedule. In terms of clause 10 of the contract, NBCC had to submit quarterly report indicating physical and financial progress of the work.

     

    The CAG examination of records disclosed that the Ministry in contravention of the terms of contract, released funds to NBCC without linkages with the specific milestones as provided in the contract. It also did not ascertain the actual progress of work before releasing payments.

     

    CAGt also observed that the required statutory approval from Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai was obtained by the Ministry only in August 2013. The Ministry had thus released more than 85 per cent of the estimated project cost (Rs 88 crore out of Rs 101 crore) even before obtaining the required statutory approval.

     

    It was also noted that NBCC could incur expenditure of only Rs 36.72 crore out of released amount of Rs 88.11 crore as of December 2014, resulting in blocking of substantial sums for different durations during the period March 2010 to December 2014.

     

    When this was pointed out, the Ministry said in February this year that since the project was to be completed before Centenary Celebration of Indian Cinema in 2013, the Ministry had relaxed/modified the milestones of construction of NMIC, before releasing the funds to NBCC through FD. It also said the NBCC opened a separate Bank Account for the NMIC project. The bank interest was being credited to that account. 

     

    The construction work of the Museum was in progress and according to the revised timeline for completion, the Museum was to be completed and handed over by December 2015.

     

    But CAG noted that the reply of the Ministry did not address the issue of premature release of funds without synchronising the payments with the progress of work. 

     

    Furthermore, the fact remained that the Ministry failed to secure compliance with the provisions of the contract before releasing advance payments to NBCC leading to blocking of funds while the intended objective of commissioning the National Museum on Indian Cinemas for public remained unfulfilled.

  • MIB does not keep record of non-carriage of mandatory channels: Jaitley

    MIB does not keep record of non-carriage of mandatory channels: Jaitley

    NEW DELHI: While multi-system operators (MSOs) and direct-to-home (DTH) operators are expected to mandatorily carry a total of 24 Doordarshan channels in digital addressable system (DAS) areas, the number of channels to be carried in the non-DAS areas is 10.

     

    The channels to be carried by DAS and non-DAS areas includes Gyan Darshan, which is currently off-air but Doordarshan sources tell Indiantelevision.com that some arrangement was being worked out to re-start the channel run by the Indira Gandhi National Open University.

     

    The channels to be carried in the DAS areas include 22 DD channels including DD National, DD Bharati, DD News, DD India, DD Sports, and Kisan Channel. The other DD channels are language channels. Other than DD, the channels for DAS areas are Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha TV, and Gyan Darshan.

     

    The channels to be carried in non-DAS areas are:  DD National, DD News, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV, DD Sports, DD Urdu, DD Bharati, Kisan Channel, Gyan Darshan, and one regional language of Doordarshan channel of the State in which the cable operator is located.

     

    The Government has also listed a schedule of channels to be carried mandatorily by operators including local cable operators in the 35 states and union territories.

     

    Notifications were issued in this regard in September 2013 and again on 25 May this year.

     

    Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Minister Arun Jaitley told Parliament that his Ministry does not have any record of such complaints received as the authorised officers – district magistrate, or a sub-divisional magistrate, or a Commissioner of Police within his local limits of jurisdiction – have powers to take action for non-carriage of the mandatory channels by cable operators on their networks under Section 11 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995.

     

    An advisory was also issued in June when it was brought to the notice of the Ministry that a few MSOs were not carrying some of the mandatory channels. It was clarified that non-carriage of these channels shall attract action /punishment under Sections 11and l8 of the Cable Act. Earlier, the Ministry had written to all concerned registered MSOs for DAS notified areas to carry the mandatory channels on their networks.

  • MIB appoints Mukesh Sharma as director general of Films Division, Mumbai

    MIB appoints Mukesh Sharma as director general of Films Division, Mumbai

    MUMBAI: The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has appointed Mukesh Sharma as director general of Films Division, Mumbai. This is in addition to his regular responsibilities as Doordarshan additional director general (WZ & CRD).

     

    Sharma’s career took flight from the Children‘s Film Society in 1980 under the chairmanship of stalwarts like Dr. V Shantaram, ShabanaAzmi, Jaya Bachchan and AmolPalekar, who shaped his thinking and work ethic. He produced over 50 films during his tenure with CFSI. He also directed the film AnokhaAspatal, which won a special mention at the National Awards in 1990 from the President of the Republic of India, during the sixth International Children’s Film Festival.

     

    The nation’s first Indo-Mauratius co-production venture was initiated by Sharma and this film on Operation Pink Pigeon –  Ankur Maina Kabutar won him the National Award in the best Children’s Film category in1990, from P. Venkataraman, the then President of India.

     

    Sharma is also responsible for organizing various children‘s film festivals in India and abroad and was actively associated with the marketing of these children‘s films.

     

    Under his leadership, in 2001 Doordarshan Mumbai Kendra received the Best Doordarshan Kendra (T.V. Station) Award, which was presented to him by the former vice president of India Krishna Kant and DD Sahyadri became a household name in every nook and corner of Maharashtra.

     

    Sharma has contributed 35 years of his experience in working as a public service broadcaster and still feels the thirst to produce rich content informing, educating, connecting and entertaining the vast sections of population, especially those living in remote corners of towns and villages as he feels that it is the right of every citizen of India.

  • MIB gives go ahead to 21 FM radio phase III bidders

    MIB gives go ahead to 21 FM radio phase III bidders

    MUMBAI: A gaggle of existing radiocasters, print media behemoths,  TV broadcasters,  builders, film producers and auto car dealers, are in the list of 21 pre-qualified bidders eligible to participate in the first batch e-auctions for 135 private FM channels in 69 existing cities of phase II. The list was released by the information & broadcasting ministry (MIB)  today.

     

    Among the companies which have got the go ahead figure: A M Television Pvt Ltd, Abhijit Realtors and Infraventures Pvt Ltd, Abir Buildcon Pvt Ltd, DB Corp Ltd, Embassy Nirman Pvt Ltd, Entertainment Network (India) Ltd, HT Media Limited, Malar Publications Ltd, Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd,  Next Radio Ltd, Nirmal Sagar Buildcon Pvt Ltd, Odisha Television Ltd, Pratidin FM Pvt Ltd, Pudhari Publications Pvt Ltd, Rajasthan Patrika Pvt Ltd, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd, Remi Overseas Pvt Ltd, Renderlive Films & Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Sarthak Films Pvt Ltd, The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd and Venus Autoworks Pvt Ltd

     

    28 applicants had cumulatively submitted Rs 316.91 crore as earnest money deposit by end of day 27 March 2015 which was the deadline for the application process.

     

    The Sun TV group is prominent amongst the bidders whose application was rejected.  The group had routed its applications through five companies, and the application review committee in MIB rejected their applications as they had failed to get security clearance from the ministry of home affairs.  

  • MIB urges MSOs not to be misled by fraud agents for registration

    MIB urges MSOs not to be misled by fraud agents for registration

    NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has once again asked applicant multi-system operators (MSOs) not to be misled by individuals making false claims of helping to get the MSO licences in lieu of illegal gratification.

     
    The Ministry, which has earlier alerted MSOs and TV broadcasters several times in this regard, had last posted a similar notice on its website on 5 August last year.

     
    However, it has come to the notice of the I&B Ministry that ‘certain individuals are approaching MSO applicants with false claims of providing MSO registrations and demanding illegal gratifications/bribe to get the work done.’

     
    The Ministry reiterated that it had adopted a very transparent way of dealing with issuance of MSO registrations. In order to maintain transparency in processing of MSO registration applications, the Ministry organizes monthly Open House Meeting on the 20th of every month in the chamber of Deputy Secretary (Digitization).

    A notice in this regard had also been put on the website on 9 April this year. 
     

    This mechanism enables the applicants to know the status of their applications, provide/submit documents as required by the MIB as also to represent their grievances to the Ministry.
     

    For any doubt or enquiry about status of their applications, the applicant MSOs may participate in the Open House Meeting by sending an e-mail at sectionofficerdas@email.com with a copy at das.miK@gmail.com by the 10th of every month.

  • MIB seeks Home Ministry reply on Sun TV case; SC to hear 2G case against Marans on 25 July

    MIB seeks Home Ministry reply on Sun TV case; SC to hear 2G case against Marans on 25 July

    NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has sought a detailed report from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the reasons for denial of security clearance to Sun TV Network channels.

     

    Noting that the reasons given by the MHA in an earlier communication were vague, an MIB official said that it would need to know full details in the event of Sun TV moving the courts on the issue.

     

    The MIB had earlier written to the Home Ministry seeking the reasons for denial of security clearance to the Sun TV network promoted by Kalanithi Maran and his brother Dayanidhi Maran against whom other cases are also pending. However, the official said that the reply was vague and hence more details had been sought in view of a possible challenge in court.

     

    The MHA had rejected the opinion of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi that security clearance can be granted as agencies are probing cases related to corruption and not security. Hence, he said, corruption cases cannot be the ground to deny security clearance. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is also learnt to have told the two ministries to sort this out among themselves.

     

    Meanwhile, on 25 July the Supreme Court will hear the petition of Sun TV whose assets are threatened to be attached in the 2G-related scam. 

     

    Chief Justice H L Dattu, while hearing the petition, asked the specially appointed prosecutor in the scam not to proceed against the firm till then. 

     

    Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the beleaguered firm of the Marans, sought injunction against attachment, stating that Rs 14,000 crore worth of assets are involved. 

     

    The Chief Justice accepted his argument that only the Supreme Court Bench monitoring the 2G affairs was competent to hear the case.