ITV

Tag: Prasar Bharati

  • DD Free Dish to include more channels in MPEG 2, DD denies glitches in satellite migration

    DD Free Dish to include more channels in MPEG 2, DD denies glitches in satellite migration

    NEW DELHI: Even as the migration to MPEG 4 will commence from April, Prasar Bharati is making attempts to increase the capacity of television channels that can be carried by its free-to-air DTH platform DD Free Dish under the existing MPEG 2.

    While declining to give the number of channels that it will gain in MPEG 2, a Prasar Bharati source confirmed to Indiantelevision.com that the switch-over to MPEG4 will be in two phases and the aim was to take the total capacity to 112.

    The source confirmed that the channels that bid successfully in the auction being held next week will be accommodated within MPEG 2.

    Meanwhile, the source denied any glitches in the transfer of DD Free Dish channels from INSAT 4B to GSAT 15 and said clear guidelines had been given to all channels on the steps they had to take in the regard and the Engineering section of Doordarshan was stepping in wherever needed. The source also said that it had been responding to calls from various channels in this connection.

    Asked why the ratings of some popular channels were falling on DD Free Dish, the source added that this was a question best answered by the channels.

    The official was reacting to a comment that even after the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India had commenced including rural area ratings in its weekly reports, there had been no perceptible increase in the figures of DD viewership despite claims by the pubcaster that it has the largest viewership in the country.

    The source said the popularity of DD Free Dish could be gauged from the fact that Aaj Tak and Big Magic, which are pay channels, were being run as FTA on Free Dish.

    A DD source added that the viewership of Big Magic, which had earlier been on Free Dish but had left it early this year had seen a steep fall and the channel had decided to come back on the platform.

    DD Free Dish is adopting the conditional access system (CAS) designed by the Bangalore-based ByDesign India Pvt Ltd.

    The ByDesign model is totally indigenous and built for DVB-C setup. This CAS solution will enable broadcasters and network operators to control access to their services by viewers, and thereby enabling them to extend their business models to subscription based schemes.

    This will mean that the Free Dish will become encrypted but will remain FTA. In addition to helping increase the number of channels on the platform, this will enable Free Dish to gauge the exact number of households relying on Free Dish as encrypted set top boxes will only be available with authorised dealers.
    DD Free Dish currently has 64 channels including its own channels and Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha TV. It also carries channels of All India Radio.

    The ByDesign CAS is provided by making access possible to the content, depending on subscriber credentials, which are generated by this CAS and sent through the broadcast system to receivers in the field. 

    Doordarshan has for the first time made a conscious effort to attract regional television channels by fixing a lower reserve of Rs 2 crore even as the price for the other channels remains the Rs 4.3 crore for its 26th e-auction slated for 15 February.

    This has been done considering the tremendous reach of DD Free Dish in semi-urban and rural areas all over the country.

    Reserved slot for regional language channel includes only Non-Hindi Channels (News or Non-News). Bhojpuri channels and Hindi regional channels have been kept as part of the general slots.

  • Actors Kajol & Vikram Gokhale short-listed for filling vacancies in Prasar Bharati Board

    Actors Kajol & Vikram Gokhale short-listed for filling vacancies in Prasar Bharati Board

    NEW DELHI: Bollywood star Kajol and former editor of RSS mouthpiece ‘Organiser’ Seshadri Chari are among a fresh panel of names drawn up by Information and Broadcasting Ministry for the two vacant positions of part-time members of the Prasar Bharati Board.

    Some of the others names on the list include actors Minhaz Merchant and actor Vikram Gokhale.

    Around eight names have been prepared and forwarded to the selection committee headed by vice president M Hamid Ansari. The committee also comprises Press Council of India chairman Justice (retd) C K Prasad and I&B secretary Sunil Arora.

    Ministry sources said several of the names, including that of Kajol and Chari were also among those forwarded last time when four part-time members were chosen.

    In its earlier meeting in October last year, the three-member committee had chosen former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s media advisor Ashok Tandon and noted Bhajan singer Anup Jalota, businessmen Sunil Alagh and Shashi Shekhar, who headed an online media company, Niti Digital, as members of the board of the public broadcaster.

    As some members have completed their term, two vacancies have arisen and so the Ministry has now prepared a list for the Committee expected to meet towards the end of this month.

    Under the Prasar Bharati Act, the pubcaster should have six-part time members on its Board, which is headed by its chairman.

  • Actors Kajol & Vikram Gokhale short-listed for filling vacancies in Prasar Bharati Board

    Actors Kajol & Vikram Gokhale short-listed for filling vacancies in Prasar Bharati Board

    NEW DELHI: Bollywood star Kajol and former editor of RSS mouthpiece ‘Organiser’ Seshadri Chari are among a fresh panel of names drawn up by Information and Broadcasting Ministry for the two vacant positions of part-time members of the Prasar Bharati Board.

    Some of the others names on the list include actors Minhaz Merchant and actor Vikram Gokhale.

    Around eight names have been prepared and forwarded to the selection committee headed by vice president M Hamid Ansari. The committee also comprises Press Council of India chairman Justice (retd) C K Prasad and I&B secretary Sunil Arora.

    Ministry sources said several of the names, including that of Kajol and Chari were also among those forwarded last time when four part-time members were chosen.

    In its earlier meeting in October last year, the three-member committee had chosen former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s media advisor Ashok Tandon and noted Bhajan singer Anup Jalota, businessmen Sunil Alagh and Shashi Shekhar, who headed an online media company, Niti Digital, as members of the board of the public broadcaster.

    As some members have completed their term, two vacancies have arisen and so the Ministry has now prepared a list for the Committee expected to meet towards the end of this month.

    Under the Prasar Bharati Act, the pubcaster should have six-part time members on its Board, which is headed by its chairman.

  • FM players seek FDI at par with GECs since only AIR news permitted

    FM players seek FDI at par with GECs since only AIR news permitted

    NEW DELHI: The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the radio sector should be increased and the government should consider a 15 per cent national ceiling for future auctions and allow news on private FM radio, private FM players have said.

    A Stakeholders’ Consultation on 22 January on the Phase III e-Auction showed that the players wanted a lock-in period of three years on composition of largest Indian shareholder.

    Information & Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Sunil Arora said that the aim of FM Phase III was to enhance radio density in the country and efforts should be made for supporting FM radio to grow into a viable business model. He wanted all stakeholders to give their suggestions and inputs in writing by 30 January if they so desire considering that some stakeholders have already submitted their suggestions in meeting.

    FM operators felt that the reserve prices recommended by TRAI on 24 March 2015 were very high and unviable. However, Ministry officials said the TRAI recommendations were advisory in nature.

    Similarly, it was stated that the rentals by Prasar Bharati were very high.

    It was also argued that the FDI limit could be increased to 100 per cent to bring it at par with the general entertainment channels as no news other than that from All India Radio was permitted.

    This suggestion from Reliance Broadcasting found favour with many of the participants but some companies like ENIL and DB Corp wanted permission to make news bulletins on their own. The Association of Radio Operators in India (AROI) said news from PTI and ANI could be permitted.

    AROI said if subsequent auction takes place in batches without relaxing the 15 per cent national cap, then this cap should be applied on overall number of channels being put to auction in phase III and not batch wise. 

    ENIL found it unreasonable that Phase II migrant licenses were made to undergo three years’ lock-in restriction under Phase III regime as well when they had already served five years’ lock-in under Phase II. But HT Media said the lock-in requirement was fundamental to FM Phase III policy.

    Representative of Digital Radio Broadcasting also suggested that connected companies of a Group be treated as a single entity for participation in online bidding / auction process.

    Suggestions for future rounds included more clock rounds per day; increase of Auction Activity Requirement (AAR); apart from auction report at the end of the day, and report of each round.

    ENIL referred to delay of security clearance of its directors and key operatives from Home Ministry.

  • FM players seek FDI at par with GECs since only AIR news permitted

    FM players seek FDI at par with GECs since only AIR news permitted

    NEW DELHI: The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the radio sector should be increased and the government should consider a 15 per cent national ceiling for future auctions and allow news on private FM radio, private FM players have said.

    A Stakeholders’ Consultation on 22 January on the Phase III e-Auction showed that the players wanted a lock-in period of three years on composition of largest Indian shareholder.

    Information & Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Sunil Arora said that the aim of FM Phase III was to enhance radio density in the country and efforts should be made for supporting FM radio to grow into a viable business model. He wanted all stakeholders to give their suggestions and inputs in writing by 30 January if they so desire considering that some stakeholders have already submitted their suggestions in meeting.

    FM operators felt that the reserve prices recommended by TRAI on 24 March 2015 were very high and unviable. However, Ministry officials said the TRAI recommendations were advisory in nature.

    Similarly, it was stated that the rentals by Prasar Bharati were very high.

    It was also argued that the FDI limit could be increased to 100 per cent to bring it at par with the general entertainment channels as no news other than that from All India Radio was permitted.

    This suggestion from Reliance Broadcasting found favour with many of the participants but some companies like ENIL and DB Corp wanted permission to make news bulletins on their own. The Association of Radio Operators in India (AROI) said news from PTI and ANI could be permitted.

    AROI said if subsequent auction takes place in batches without relaxing the 15 per cent national cap, then this cap should be applied on overall number of channels being put to auction in phase III and not batch wise. 

    ENIL found it unreasonable that Phase II migrant licenses were made to undergo three years’ lock-in restriction under Phase III regime as well when they had already served five years’ lock-in under Phase II. But HT Media said the lock-in requirement was fundamental to FM Phase III policy.

    Representative of Digital Radio Broadcasting also suggested that connected companies of a Group be treated as a single entity for participation in online bidding / auction process.

    Suggestions for future rounds included more clock rounds per day; increase of Auction Activity Requirement (AAR); apart from auction report at the end of the day, and report of each round.

    ENIL referred to delay of security clearance of its directors and key operatives from Home Ministry.

  • Lack of cooperation among Prasar Bharati divisions led to avoidable complications: MIB audit

    Lack of cooperation among Prasar Bharati divisions led to avoidable complications: MIB audit

    NEW DELHI: “The lack of co-operation among divisions of Prasar Bharati has led to several court cases and it is suggested that a centralised Cadre Controlling Authority may be set up to handle the service matters of the entire employees of Prasar Bharati.”

    Making this observation, the Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said after a Test Audit/Check of Non-Plan expenditure under Salary and Salary-related heads against the Grants-in-Aid released by the Ministry, “Separate bank accounts may be opened for Non-Plan Grants-In-Aid (Salary) and other heads. A comprehensive audit of Prasar Bharati units may be conducted by Prasar Bharati itself to have a complete and fair picture of their accounts/ expenditures.”

    The audit of amounts released for salary and salary-related expenses showed that while the grants-in-aid of Rs 5381.98 crore was given by the Ministry from 2012 to 2015, the expenditure incurred on Salary and Salary-related expenses was Rs 5694.92 crore and Rs 312.94 crore was from Prasar Bharati’s Internal and Budgetary Resources (IEBR).

    In this, the grant-in-aid in 2014-15 was Rs 2001.98 crore while the money for salaries and salary-related expenses was Rs 2033.70 crore and Rs 31.72 crore came from IEBR.

    The internal audit helped to save Rs 1188.14 crore under various heads including long-pending dues from other government departments.

    In all, grants-in aid amounting to Rs 6640.48 crores was released in the last three years to Prasar Bharati, of which Rs 2437.98 crore was during the year 2014-15.

    Of the total Rs 6640.48 crore given in the last three years, the aid in 2012-13 was Rx 2062.5 crore and in 2013-14 was Rs 2140 crore.

      

  • Lack of cooperation among Prasar Bharati divisions led to avoidable complications: MIB audit

    Lack of cooperation among Prasar Bharati divisions led to avoidable complications: MIB audit

    NEW DELHI: “The lack of co-operation among divisions of Prasar Bharati has led to several court cases and it is suggested that a centralised Cadre Controlling Authority may be set up to handle the service matters of the entire employees of Prasar Bharati.”

    Making this observation, the Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry said after a Test Audit/Check of Non-Plan expenditure under Salary and Salary-related heads against the Grants-in-Aid released by the Ministry, “Separate bank accounts may be opened for Non-Plan Grants-In-Aid (Salary) and other heads. A comprehensive audit of Prasar Bharati units may be conducted by Prasar Bharati itself to have a complete and fair picture of their accounts/ expenditures.”

    The audit of amounts released for salary and salary-related expenses showed that while the grants-in-aid of Rs 5381.98 crore was given by the Ministry from 2012 to 2015, the expenditure incurred on Salary and Salary-related expenses was Rs 5694.92 crore and Rs 312.94 crore was from Prasar Bharati’s Internal and Budgetary Resources (IEBR).

    In this, the grant-in-aid in 2014-15 was Rs 2001.98 crore while the money for salaries and salary-related expenses was Rs 2033.70 crore and Rs 31.72 crore came from IEBR.

    The internal audit helped to save Rs 1188.14 crore under various heads including long-pending dues from other government departments.

    In all, grants-in aid amounting to Rs 6640.48 crores was released in the last three years to Prasar Bharati, of which Rs 2437.98 crore was during the year 2014-15.

    Of the total Rs 6640.48 crore given in the last three years, the aid in 2012-13 was Rx 2062.5 crore and in 2013-14 was Rs 2140 crore.

      

  • Films Division complex can become a hub for Indian cinema: Mukesh Sharma

    Films Division complex can become a hub for Indian cinema: Mukesh Sharma

    NEW DELHI: Actor Jackie Shroff – the brand ambassador of the Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, short and animation films – could not have a better 59th birthday.

    After attending an Animation Workshop and between eating pieces of cake, Jackie gushed: “You know, I spent my birthday today attending a class in animation filmmaking by Italian filmmaker Luca Rafaelli and India’s Dhwani Desai.”

    Shroff was addressing a mid-fest press meet yesterday with Festival Director Mukesh Sharma who had surprised him with a birthday cake. The Press Information Bureau which put up the Media Centre also gave him a separate cake.

    Speaking at the press meet, Sharma said that he was convinced that the festival could do with several changes but he would consider these after the Festival was over. “There is always scope for improvement,” he added.

    Sharma said there were several impediments but he and his team overcame these one by one. He said with the Museum of Indian Cinema getting ready by the next MIFF, the Films Division complex could become a very good hub of cinema.

    The simultaneous screenings of national films as part of the MIFF Zone in nineteen cities had been very encouraging. He would also explore starting the weekly FD Zone in Delhi.

    He said in answer to a question that Prasar Bharati had assured him about considering the suggestion for a separate documentary

    Shroff  said the Festival had been a learning for him. Animation was very close to his heart and he had seen several good films at the Festival. He wanted filmmakers to work towards oneness.

    He also felt MIFF should be an annual Festival and not come every two years.

  • Films Division complex can become a hub for Indian cinema: Mukesh Sharma

    Films Division complex can become a hub for Indian cinema: Mukesh Sharma

    NEW DELHI: Actor Jackie Shroff – the brand ambassador of the Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, short and animation films – could not have a better 59th birthday.

    After attending an Animation Workshop and between eating pieces of cake, Jackie gushed: “You know, I spent my birthday today attending a class in animation filmmaking by Italian filmmaker Luca Rafaelli and India’s Dhwani Desai.”

    Shroff was addressing a mid-fest press meet yesterday with Festival Director Mukesh Sharma who had surprised him with a birthday cake. The Press Information Bureau which put up the Media Centre also gave him a separate cake.

    Speaking at the press meet, Sharma said that he was convinced that the festival could do with several changes but he would consider these after the Festival was over. “There is always scope for improvement,” he added.

    Sharma said there were several impediments but he and his team overcame these one by one. He said with the Museum of Indian Cinema getting ready by the next MIFF, the Films Division complex could become a very good hub of cinema.

    The simultaneous screenings of national films as part of the MIFF Zone in nineteen cities had been very encouraging. He would also explore starting the weekly FD Zone in Delhi.

    He said in answer to a question that Prasar Bharati had assured him about considering the suggestion for a separate documentary

    Shroff  said the Festival had been a learning for him. Animation was very close to his heart and he had seen several good films at the Festival. He wanted filmmakers to work towards oneness.

    He also felt MIFF should be an annual Festival and not come every two years.

  • Doordarshan sees major dip in revenue & business generation in 2015-16

    Doordarshan sees major dip in revenue & business generation in 2015-16

    NEW DELHI: Public broadcaster Doordarshan’s revenues fell sharply during 2015-16, showing a total of Rs 340 crore by way of net revenue and business generation until the end of December as compared to Rs 582.02 crore for the same period in 2014-15.

     

    Doordarshan sources told Indiantelevision.com that in the Rs 340 crore figure for 2015-16, the net revenue was Rs 138 crore, whereas the business generation figure stood at Rs 202 crore. 

     

    The corresponding figures for 2014-15 for the same period were Rs 320.88 crore as revenue and Rs 261.14 crore as business generation, totalling to Rs 582.02 crore.

     

    The revenue from April to November 2015 (nine months) stood at just over Rs 128 crore, whereas in the month of December 2015, the revenue was just under Rs 10 crore.

     

    The revenue generation in December 2015 came from the Ministries of Personnel and Pensions, Home, Consumer Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, Road Transport and Highways, and Social Justice and Empowerment.

     

    This was mainly from the publicity of 15 different programmes or campaigns run by these six ministries of which six were for Health and Family Welfare, and four for Social Justice and Empowerment.