All Entries Tagged With: "Headend In The Sky"
Two-tier FDI cap in media finalised
New Delhi: With the ministry of finance giving its nod, the decks have been cleared for the implementation of a simplified, two-tier policy on foreign direct investment (FDI) cap in media. Now, a 74% uniform cap for non-news media (carriage services) and a 26% cap for news media (content) shall apply. Also, up to 49% FDI in the carriage service providers (like multi-system operators or MSOs, DTH broadcasters, headend-in-the sky or HITS operators, and providers of mobile TV, satellite teleport and IPTV services) will be automatically allowed. But any FDI above 49% will need Foreign Investment Promotion »»»
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 »»»
Raising FDI in Media would attract foreign investors: WWIL
Sudhir Agarwal, CEO , WWIL, in an interview with ET Now talks about company’s overall condition and prospect. Excerpts: ET Now: This is a good news for the industry as a whole, FDI in DTH being raised from 49% to 74%, give us a sense of what kind of an impact this could potentially have on WWIL? Sudhir Agarwal: It is a very good and encouraging initiative from the government to raise the current FDI limit across platforms in our industry from 49% to 74% across DTH, IPTV, MSO platforms. As you would know, government recently announced an initiative to digitise the whole country and they came »»»
Govt in favour of 74% FDI for DTH: Raghu menon
NEW DELHI: The Information & Broadcasting Ministry would like to take forward the recommendation of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to up foreign direct investment in direct-to-home to 74 per cent but there are processes involved before this can be done, said I&B secretary Raghu Menon. Menon said DTH had taken television to the remotest corners of the country and so the government would like to encourage the sector. On another issue, he said Trai had recommended a complete switch-off of analogue by 2013, but that was a complex issue and may not be easy to implement. He »»»
WWIL eyes Rs 3.4 bn revenue in FY’11
MUMBAI: Wire and Wireless (India) Ltd is targeting a revenue of Rs 3.4 billion and expects to be Ebitda positive for the full-fiscal, a source close to the company said. Fuelling this over 20 growth will be the MSO’s entry into new markets, a projected rise in carriage revenue and growth in subscription income. WWIL is setting up a joint venture company, Siti Vision, with a group of people who have strong ground control to revive its presence in Hyderabad. “WWIL will hold 51 per cent stake. The content has been tied up with the broadcasters and the cable TV service will launch in September. »»»
Reliance Communications may buy Digicable in cashless deal
MUMBAI: Reliance Communications(RCOM) is likely to acquire privately-held cable television company Digicable in a cashless deal, an investment banker familiar with developments told ET. The Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) company will spin off its direct-to-home (DTH) television service called Big TV into a special purpose vehicle in which Digicable will also be housed, the banker said. RCOM will hold 60% in the special purpose vehicle, while Ashmore, a private equity fund, Jagjit Singh Kohli, the managing director and chief executive of Digicable and Yogesh Shah the joint MD will own the remaining »»»
HITS: Govt receives 3 applications
NEW DELHI: The government has only received three applicants from multi-system operators (MSOs) to operate under the Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) scheme and is examining the possibility of bringing direct-to-home (DTH) players under it. “We are studying the possibility of whether DTH operators could be placed under the HITS scheme,” said Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni. The government announced its HITS policy which was notified by amendment of the Downlinking Guidelines late last year. Soni also indicated that the process for FM radio Phase III is to begin shortly and may include »»»
