ITV

Tag: Taj Television

  • Rajesh Sethi re-designated chief biz transformation officer of Siti Networks

    MUMBAI: Rajesh Sethi, who had been appointed as executive director and CEO of Siti Networks sometime back, has been re-designated as  chief  business  transformation officer of the company with immediate effect.

    Before joining Siti Networks, Sethi served as CEO at Taj Television’s Ten Sports from 2013 to 2016 when it was still a subsidiary of Zee Entertainment. In a strategic decision last year, Zee sold its sports business, comprising TV channels marketed under Ten Sports brand, to Sony Pictures Network India. 

    Siti Networks also informed BSE that the the board of directors of the company at its meeting held on 14 July 2017, approved  the  appointment  of  Sidharth  Balakrishna  as a whole-time director of the company with immediate effect.

    Balakrishna has over 13 years of experience in the energy, infrastructure and education sectors. In the past he has led strategy and headed projects including in the fields of oil & gas, renewable energy, education, water and vocational training. Balakrishna has  also  been  a  strategy consultant with Accenture and KPMG. 

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  • Rajesh Sethi succeeds Wadhwa as ED & CEO of SITI Networks

    NEW DELHI: Senior media expert Rajesh Sethi has been appointed Executive Director CEO of SITI Networks Limited, as V D Wadhwa is stepping down.

    Wadhwa has been asked by the management to help in smooth transitioning by being with Sethi over the next couple of months.

    Sethi has over 22 years of experience in varied industries like Media, Insurance and Automotive sector across India and South East Asia.

    Sethi joined Ten Sports (Taj Television – a then subsidiary of Zee Entertainment) in July 2013 as Chief Executive Officer, where he spearheaded the turnaround and divestment of Ten Sports from multi year losses to a profitable entity and has placed the Distribution & Placement Business on a consistent growth path.

    Before joining Zee Entertainment, Sethi has been associated with large conglomerates like Tata, General Electric and Allianz with a proven track record of progressive leadership and entrepreneurial success. He specializes in enhancing Stakeholder value through large-scale Business Transformation, Leadership Development, Innovation, Organization change management and Customer strategies.

    Sethi completed his under graduation in Mechanical Engineering and received his Executive Education from Harvard Business School, Kellogg School of Management & INSEAD and is a GE certified Quality Green Belt.

    He has been conferred with prestigious awards of “Rashtriya Udyog Ratna” by N.E.H.R.D.O. and “Global Indian Achievers Award for Business Excellence 2012″ by Economic Development Forum.

    Speaking on his tenure at SITI Networks, Wadhwa said, “It was one of my most satisfying careers at SITI. Under the guidance of the Board, we have managed to establish SITI as one of the leading profitable players today. I thank the Board for the opportunity and wish Rajesh and his team all the success.”

    Commenting on his new role, Sethi said “Post our very successful turnaround & divestment of Tensports and thereafter implementation of Digitisation of our broadcasting business, I am very excited to further transform our Delivery Platform with SITI Networks which has immense growth possibilities & opportunities. The sector is on the cusp of reinventing itself with smarter Business Models and ways of delivering & connecting to customers with varied products and services”.

    In a statement, the Board placed on record its appreciation for the role played by Wadhwa during his tenure in turning around the business profitably and inculcating the highest ethical standards and professional work culture in the Company.

  • TDSAT orders All India Digital to pay up dues to Taj Television

    TDSAT orders All India Digital to pay up dues to Taj Television

    NEW DELHI: Two senior executives of All India Digital Network have been asked to appear before the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal on 1 September 2016 with cheques for the payment of five installments of Rs. 86,64,000 owed to Taj Television.

    Member B B Srivastava said in his order of 9 August 2016 that managing director G N Prasad had failed to come to the Tribunal on 12 February 2016 as directed but had sent director G Carriapa. The member wanted both to be present next time.

    The tribunal in its last order had noted that a payment schedule had been presented before it on behalf of GTPL which had agreed to pay all the dues of All Digital Network India Ltd but no installment had been paid by either, and the tribunal was told that “GTPL had walked out of the arrangement with All Digital.”

    All Digital counsel Manikya Khanna had then informed the Tribunal that his client was prepared to pay as GTPL had backed out.

    The Tribunal gave its order after All Digital counsel Sharath Sampath submitted that he had not been able to get any instruction with regard to the payments in order of 26 July 2016.

  • TDSAT orders All India Digital to pay up dues to Taj Television

    TDSAT orders All India Digital to pay up dues to Taj Television

    NEW DELHI: Two senior executives of All India Digital Network have been asked to appear before the Telecom Disputes Settlement & Appellate Tribunal on 1 September 2016 with cheques for the payment of five installments of Rs. 86,64,000 owed to Taj Television.

    Member B B Srivastava said in his order of 9 August 2016 that managing director G N Prasad had failed to come to the Tribunal on 12 February 2016 as directed but had sent director G Carriapa. The member wanted both to be present next time.

    The tribunal in its last order had noted that a payment schedule had been presented before it on behalf of GTPL which had agreed to pay all the dues of All Digital Network India Ltd but no installment had been paid by either, and the tribunal was told that “GTPL had walked out of the arrangement with All Digital.”

    All Digital counsel Manikya Khanna had then informed the Tribunal that his client was prepared to pay as GTPL had backed out.

    The Tribunal gave its order after All Digital counsel Sharath Sampath submitted that he had not been able to get any instruction with regard to the payments in order of 26 July 2016.

  • Four broadcasters to examine headend of MSO to ensure rectification of defect pointed out by BECIL

    Four broadcasters to examine headend of MSO to ensure rectification of defect pointed out by BECIL

    New Delhi: Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd, Star India, Taj Television, and Indiacast UTV Media Distribution Services Pvt. Ltd have been asked by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal to constitute a joint team or may agree upon one of them getting the inspection done by its technical team of the headend of M.C. Transmissions for any defects.

    The Tribunal said: “Normally, we should have asked BECIL to revisit the petitioner’s head end and to give a supplementary report but that would saddle the petitioner with heavy costs. Hence, we think it proper to ask the four respondent broadcasters to have a joint inspection of the petitioner’s head end by their technical people.”

    Chairman Justice Aftab Alam and member B B Srivastava directed that the inspection should be completed within 15 days and listed the matter for 8 April.
     
    Earlier following the tribunal’s order of 24 February, the Broadcasting Consulting Engineers (India) Ltd had found one defect in the Digital Addressable System (CAS, SMS and STB) available and installed at M C Tansmissions’ headend as on 16 March which “does not fully meet” the TRAI minimum requirements.

    BECIL had found that “The system of MC Transmission has the provision for blacklisting the VC whereas the provision for blacklisting of STB is yet to be deployed.”

    However, MC Transmissions counsel Nittin Bhatia said the device for blacklisting STBs had also been installed and the lacuna pointed out in the report had been fully cured.

     

  • Four broadcasters to examine headend of MSO to ensure rectification of defect pointed out by BECIL

    Four broadcasters to examine headend of MSO to ensure rectification of defect pointed out by BECIL

    New Delhi: Multi Screen Media Pvt. Ltd, Star India, Taj Television, and Indiacast UTV Media Distribution Services Pvt. Ltd have been asked by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal to constitute a joint team or may agree upon one of them getting the inspection done by its technical team of the headend of M.C. Transmissions for any defects.

    The Tribunal said: “Normally, we should have asked BECIL to revisit the petitioner’s head end and to give a supplementary report but that would saddle the petitioner with heavy costs. Hence, we think it proper to ask the four respondent broadcasters to have a joint inspection of the petitioner’s head end by their technical people.”

    Chairman Justice Aftab Alam and member B B Srivastava directed that the inspection should be completed within 15 days and listed the matter for 8 April.
     
    Earlier following the tribunal’s order of 24 February, the Broadcasting Consulting Engineers (India) Ltd had found one defect in the Digital Addressable System (CAS, SMS and STB) available and installed at M C Tansmissions’ headend as on 16 March which “does not fully meet” the TRAI minimum requirements.

    BECIL had found that “The system of MC Transmission has the provision for blacklisting the VC whereas the provision for blacklisting of STB is yet to be deployed.”

    However, MC Transmissions counsel Nittin Bhatia said the device for blacklisting STBs had also been installed and the lacuna pointed out in the report had been fully cured.

     

  • Taj TV not to give effect to disconnection notices if GTPL Hathway makes payment as per schedule

    Taj TV not to give effect to disconnection notices if GTPL Hathway makes payment as per schedule

    New Delhi, 12 March: Taj Television has been directed by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal not to give effect to its disconnection notice if GTPL Hathway Pvt. Ltd makes payment according to schedule agreed before it.

    While directing the matter to be listed before the Registrar on 7 April, Chairman Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava worked out a formula for payment of Rs 63 crore in five instalments.

    The Tribunal made clear that the last payment of Rs.11 crore in the formula agree upon was to come from GTPL Hathway’s JVs and this would be subject to reconciliation of accounts between the parties which should be completed by 20 March. It said the balance dues after reconciliation of accounts which may be Rs.11 crores or a little more or less must be cleared by 31 March. 

    GTPL Hathway was directed to facilitate the payment of the last installment by its JVs to Taj TV and to ensure that the payments are finally made by 31 March.

    Two other respondents in turn are directed to pay the amount of carriage fee of Rs.22 crores to the petitioner on or before 15April.

    The monthly subscription for the months of February and March 2016 for DAS networks [other than DL GTPL CABLE NET, VAJI Communications and GTPL Hathway Pvt. Ltd and March, 2016 for Non-DAS will be cleared by 25 April.

    But the Tribunal said: “Needless to say that the payments in terms of the above order will be on-account and without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties.”

    The two petitions were filed against disconnection notices dated 13 February and 14 February. The disconnection notices are based on grounds of non-payment of monthly subscription fee and non-execution of the fresh agreements.

    According to counsel for the respondent, its cumulative dues against the petitioner (both in DAS and non-DAS) areas amount to Rs.66 crores as on 12 February.

    But counsel for GTPL Hathway strongly argued that the petitioner was entitled to carriage fee from two respondents and the dues of its carriage fee against these two respondents amounted to around Rs.25 crores. The petitioner further argued that the agreement was based on incremental tariff that was recommended by TRAI but which was later on set aside by the Tribunal and on that score also, the petitioner is entitled to adjustment of Rs.11 crores against the dues claimed by the petitioner.

    Counsel for the respondent submitted that as stipulated in the interconnect agreement between the parties, the dues of subscription fee are payable independent of any adjustments, including any adjustment against carriage fee which was the subject matter of a separate agreement between the petitioner and the other two respondents.  In any event, the agreement relating to carriage fee has expired.

    In course of submissions however, it transpired that the dues of carriage fee claimed by the petitioner may come down to Rs.22 crores and similarly the subscription dues of Taj TV against the petitioner may come down to Rs.63 crores.

    The Tribunal thereupon asked GTPL Hathway to pay to Taj TV a sum of Rs.63 crores in five instalments, of which the last would be on 31 March.

     

  • Taj TV not to give effect to disconnection notices if GTPL Hathway makes payment as per schedule

    Taj TV not to give effect to disconnection notices if GTPL Hathway makes payment as per schedule

    New Delhi, 12 March: Taj Television has been directed by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal not to give effect to its disconnection notice if GTPL Hathway Pvt. Ltd makes payment according to schedule agreed before it.

    While directing the matter to be listed before the Registrar on 7 April, Chairman Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava worked out a formula for payment of Rs 63 crore in five instalments.

    The Tribunal made clear that the last payment of Rs.11 crore in the formula agree upon was to come from GTPL Hathway’s JVs and this would be subject to reconciliation of accounts between the parties which should be completed by 20 March. It said the balance dues after reconciliation of accounts which may be Rs.11 crores or a little more or less must be cleared by 31 March. 

    GTPL Hathway was directed to facilitate the payment of the last installment by its JVs to Taj TV and to ensure that the payments are finally made by 31 March.

    Two other respondents in turn are directed to pay the amount of carriage fee of Rs.22 crores to the petitioner on or before 15April.

    The monthly subscription for the months of February and March 2016 for DAS networks [other than DL GTPL CABLE NET, VAJI Communications and GTPL Hathway Pvt. Ltd and March, 2016 for Non-DAS will be cleared by 25 April.

    But the Tribunal said: “Needless to say that the payments in terms of the above order will be on-account and without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties.”

    The two petitions were filed against disconnection notices dated 13 February and 14 February. The disconnection notices are based on grounds of non-payment of monthly subscription fee and non-execution of the fresh agreements.

    According to counsel for the respondent, its cumulative dues against the petitioner (both in DAS and non-DAS) areas amount to Rs.66 crores as on 12 February.

    But counsel for GTPL Hathway strongly argued that the petitioner was entitled to carriage fee from two respondents and the dues of its carriage fee against these two respondents amounted to around Rs.25 crores. The petitioner further argued that the agreement was based on incremental tariff that was recommended by TRAI but which was later on set aside by the Tribunal and on that score also, the petitioner is entitled to adjustment of Rs.11 crores against the dues claimed by the petitioner.

    Counsel for the respondent submitted that as stipulated in the interconnect agreement between the parties, the dues of subscription fee are payable independent of any adjustments, including any adjustment against carriage fee which was the subject matter of a separate agreement between the petitioner and the other two respondents.  In any event, the agreement relating to carriage fee has expired.

    In course of submissions however, it transpired that the dues of carriage fee claimed by the petitioner may come down to Rs.22 crores and similarly the subscription dues of Taj TV against the petitioner may come down to Rs.63 crores.

    The Tribunal thereupon asked GTPL Hathway to pay to Taj TV a sum of Rs.63 crores in five instalments, of which the last would be on 31 March.

     

  • NXT Digital signs RIO deal with Taj Television

    NXT Digital signs RIO deal with Taj Television

    MUMBAI: The Hinduja Group’s Headend In The Sky (HITS) service under the brand name NXT Digital has finally struck a reference interconnect offer (RIO) deal with Zee Entertainment’s distribution subsidiary Taj Television India, by virtue of which it will be able to include Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) and Turner International India’s channels in its bouquet of offerings.

    As was reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the matter was with the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) and the two companies informed the Tribunal that Taj Television will provide its signals to Hinduja Group’s Grant Investrade as soon as an inter-connect agreement was signed.

    Zeel and Turner International were the only major broadcasting networks that were missing from the service’s bouquet. This deal will see NXT Digital, the rapidly growing platform in phase III areas, having a wholesome catalogue to offer to the operators, as well as reach a larger audience.

    Speaking on the signing of the new deal, a source from close to development told Indiantelevision.com, “The channels will be available on an ? la carte basis. And we are certain that this deal will help NXT Digital garner an enhanced reach.”

    This gives a definite edge to NXT Digital, which is the second HITS player in the country, the first being Jain HITS NXT Digital was launched earlier this year with state of art technology. On the other hand, Jain HITS is currently in the process of upgrading its technology.

     

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    Taj TV to supply signals to Grant Investrade after signing ICA

  • Taj TV to supply signals to Grant Investrade after signing ICA

    Taj TV to supply signals to Grant Investrade after signing ICA

    NEW DELHI: Grant Investrade, which operates the headend-in-the-sky (HITS) brand NXT Digital, and Taj Television have arrived at an agreement.

     

    Taj Television will provide its signals to Grant Investrade as soon as an inter-connect agreement is signed.

     

    Stating this, the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) noted however that the agreement will be “without prejudice to Grant’s rights and contentions with regard to those clauses.”

     

    Listing the case for 13 January, TDSAT chairman Justice Aftab Alam and members Kuldip Singh and B B Srivastava made this observation after counsel Salman Khurshid on behalf of Grant Investrade said his client had some reservations on two or three clauses of the agreement.

     

    Both counsels namely Pratibha Singh on behalf of Taj and Khurshid said there was broad agreement for supply of Zee channels as also for Turner channels and this would be signed this week.

     

    Singh accepted that the agreement would be signed “without prejudice to Grant’s rights and contentions with regard to those clauses.”