All Entries Tagged With: "Ambika Soni"
Digitization: Need for a regulator
The stage has been set for the dawn of the digital era in Indian broadcasting. Earlier this month, Parliament cleared a Bill to amend the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act for ushering in digitization. Cable digitization will be implemented in phases and will be completed by December 2014. This is certainly a moment of triumph for broadcasters who had been lobbying with the government to allow the cable industry to convert from analog to digital. In the digital addressable systems (DAS), service providers can offer more options to consumers, who will be able to select the channels of their »»»
Lok Sabha passes cable digitisation bill
NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha today passed the second Bill to amend the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 that aims to replace the Ordinance promulgated in October. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, while talking on the discussion on the Bill, assured the cable operators that they would not be “put out of business” contrary to fears expressed by some quarters with digitisation of cable services, and capacity building programmes would be held to apprise them with new technologies. Soni said that an enabling provision had put in place to the effect that only Rs 200,000 to »»»
Scam hits Doordarshan’s direct-to-home service expansion plan
After the disgraceful exit of former Prasar Bharati CEO B. S. Lalli over hiring of equipment during the Commonwealth Games (CWG), another outsourcing scam appears to be brewing in the corridors of Mandi House. The Prasar Bharati board, under its officiating CEO Rajiv Takru, has allegedly pushed through a proposal that violates a decision of the Union cabinet on the expansion plan for Doordarshan’s direct-to-home (DTH) service. The 11-member Prasar Bharati board gave a go-ahead to the proposal on May 13 this year to outsource the entire operation to private players despite the government allocating »»»
Analogue TV operators start making the switch
New Delhi, Oct. 16: The announcement of a deadline for shutdown of analogue TV services has already spurred some small and medium analogue operators to make the switch to digital technologies. On Friday, Chennai-based independent cable provider JAK Communications tied up with NDS Services Pay TV Technology Pvt Ltd to launch its digital pay TV. NDS will help set up the digital system and also support JAK with maintenance. “We are tying up with several regional small and medium analogue cable operators to help them make the switch. The news of digitisation is good for us as it will help grow the »»»
New rule to cut royalty cost for FM players
NEW DELHI: The Copyright Board on Wednesday approved a revenue sharing arrangement between radio broadcasters and music companies which will lead to significant savings in royalty costs for private FM radio players and provide a boost to the third phase of auction of radio stations. Under the new order of the board, radio broadcasters will now pay 2% of their “net advertising revenue” to “all music providers” as royalty. So far, FM radio stations pay a fixed rate which ranges fom Rs 300 to Rs 1,200 per needle hour (the actual time for which music is played). These royalty rates were applicable »»»
DD Direct Plus takes on pvt DTH players
New Delhi: Backed by financial support, upgraded technology and a comprehensive pan-India distribution strategy, DD Direct Plus is aiming to double its existing subscriber base to over 12 million within next 15-18 months. The country’s first and only free direct-to-home (DTH) platform aims to challenge the dominance of six private DTH firms that currently command 25 million subscribers. In the process, DD Direct Plus has overhauled itself to provide the viewers a competitive DTH service at no monthly cost, sources in the I&B ministry said. To meet this aim within a fixed time frame, the ministry »»»
DD DTH to increase free to air channels from 59 to 200
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Ambika Soni said that the phased expansion of DD DTH platform which proposed to increase free to air channels from 59 to 200 would offer a wide bouquet to the viewers. The digitalization of AIR and DD would enable remote and far flung regions to receive higher quality signals. There are 33 free-to-air TV channels and 12 AIR channels available throughout India, except Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Doordarshan is trying to reach those TV homes having no cable & satellite connection, through its DTH service ‘DD Direct Plus’. The areas uncovered »»»
