Direct To Home Offers Galore

The two major DTH competitors- Dish TV and Tata-sky are battling to outdo each other with festive offers. A special package from Dish TV allows you to enjoy 125 channels for just Rs 160 per month till 31st December. This bouquet is otherwise worth at Rs 300 per month and, of course, the promise of DVD quality and stereophonic sound is always there. Tata Sky, on the other hand is offering over 100 popular channels, including the leading ones like Star, Sony, Zee, NDTV, Aaj Tak, ESPN, Discovery, Disney, HBO, CNBC TV18 and Cartoon Network for just Rs 200 per month. This also includes many interactive services. The subscribers will also get all the new channels and interactive services launched in the next four months absolutely free. Then there is also the TataSky Multiroom Subscription offer for homes with multiple TVs. For each additional connection, there is a 50 per cent discount on installation and the subscription fee is reduced to Rs 100 per month. Equipment and installation charges, including a one-year warranty, stands at Rs 3,999.

Channels Rush For Registration

In the last few days before 11 May, 2006

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING NOTIFICATION

 G. R. S. 282 (E). — In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (I) of Section 22 of the Cable Television (Regulation) Act, 1995 (7 of 1995), the Central Government hereby Makes the following rules further to amend the Television Networks Rules, 1994, namely: –

1.(1)These rules may be called Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2006

(2)They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2.In the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, in rule 6, after Sub-rule (5), the following shall be inserted, namely:-

CAS Roll Out-IV Positives Vibes

If everything goes as planned, from next year all metros would migrate to the CAS regime. A con sensus is slowly emerging among the channels regarding revenue and the quality of programmes aired on pay channels. With the price of pay channels fixed at Rs 5 trade pundits predict that there will be increase in the volume of growth post-December. Also, the fact that TRAI will review the scenario three months after implementation has helped them to approve the plan.

With the price of 30 FTA channels fixed at Rs 77 (excluding taxes) the total outflow per family may not exceed Rs 200 which means that the revenue of cable operators is bound to go down. But they are banking on a customer base which is projected to expand and grow. They are also confident that there can be mutual co-existence between CAS and the Direct-to-Home services as both exist on a digital platform.

Direct To Home Offers Galore

The two major DTH competitors- Dish TV and Tata-sky are battling to outdo each other with festive offers. A special package from Dish TV allows you to enjoy 125 channels for just Rs 160 per month till 31st December. This bouquet is otherwise worth at Rs 300 per month and, of course, the promise of DVD quality and stereophonic sound is always there. Tata Sky, on the other hand is offering over 100 popular channels, including the leading ones like Star, Sony, Zee, NDTV, Aaj Tak, ESPN, Discovery, Disney, HBO, CNBC TV18 and Cartoon Network for just Rs 200 per month. This also includes many interactive services. The subscribers will also get all the new channels and interactive services launched in the next four months absolutely free. Then there is also the TataSky Multiroom Subscription offer for homes with multiple TVs. For each additional connection, there is a 50 per cent discount on installation and the subscription fee is reduced to Rs 100 per month. Equipment and installation charges, including a one-year warranty, stands at Rs 3,999.

Channels Rush For Registration

In the last few days before 11 May, 2006

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING NOTIFICATION

 G. R. S. 282 (E). — In exercise of the powers conferred by Sub-section (I) of Section 22 of the Cable Television (Regulation) Act, 1995 (7 of 1995), the Central Government hereby Makes the following rules further to amend the Television Networks Rules, 1994, namely: –

CAS Roll Out-IV Positives Vibes

If everything goes as planned, from next year all metros would migrate to the CAS regime. A con sensus is slowly emerging among the channels regarding revenue and the quality of programmes aired on pay channels. With the price of pay channels fixed at Rs 5 trade pundits predict that there will be increase in the volume of growth post-December. Also, the fact that TRAI will review the scenario three months after implementation has helped them to approve the plan.

All About Set-Top-Box

“Tremendous revenue opportunities exist in driving interactivity between the 60 million digital set-top boxes, 175 million personal computers and 210 million mobile phones in the U.S...” said Michael Rivkin, CEO, Develop-On-Box, parent company of Zodiac Gaming. (April, 2006)

Set-top Box - (STB) - May be known as set top, Set-tops, set-top box, set top box, STB, Receivers, Converters, Decoders, Intelligent Set-top Boxes, Set-top Decoders, Smart Encoder, Digital TV Converter, DTV Converter, Voice-enabled Set-top Boxes, Digital Decoder, DTV Tuner, Descrambler, Digital Set-top Box, Addressable Converter, Demodulator, Smart TV Set-top Box, ITV enabled Set-top Box, Internet-enabled Set-top Box, ITV enabled Set-top cable box, Satellite- enabled Set-top Box, Cable-enabled Set-top Box, Low-end Boxes, Thin Boxes, Thick Boxes, Smart TV Set-top Box, Super Box, All-in-one Set Top Box, Integrated Set Top Box, Hybrid Cable Box, Media Center. - It’s ancestor is often considered the Nintendo game box, as those ancient 8-bit game boxes had data ports. When the functionality of a set-top box is built in to the TV, it’s often known as a “Built-in” like the one launched by LG sometimes back. Do note that just because a TV has set-top box functions built in to it, that doesn’t mean it’s a digital TV. In that case it’s just an analog TV with set-top box functions built into it

National Conference "Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill-2006"

Welcoming the proposed “Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2006”, which the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, is planning to introduce in Parliament in the near future, the members of the Entertainment Industry Leaders’ Council of ASSOCHAM organized a National Conference of all the Broadcasters/ Cable Operators & related stakeholders to have a wider discussion & better understanding on the proposed Bill on 8th September, 2006 at The Oberoi, New Delhi.

The Summit was duly inaugurated by Shri S.K. Arora, Hon’ble Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. The Conference also graced by Smt. Sharmila Tagore, Chairperson, Central Board of Film Certification, had several others senior officers from Media and Entertainment Sector as distinguished Speakers. The Conference resulted in the following recommendations:–

National Conference "Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill-2006"

Welcoming the proposed “Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2006”, which the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, is planning to introduce in Parliament in the near future, the members of the Entertainment Industry Leaders’ Council of ASSOCHAM organized a National Conference of all the Broadcasters/ Cable Operators & related stakeholders to have a wider discussion & better understanding on the proposed Bill on 8th September, 2006 at The Oberoi, New Delhi.

The Summit was duly inaugurated by Shri S.K. Arora, Hon’ble Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. The Conference also graced by Smt. Sharmila Tagore, Chairperson, Central Board of Film Certification, had several others senior officers from Media and Entertainment Sector as distinguished Speakers. The Conference resulted in the following recommendations:–

Globalisation Of Content

Last month the centre of activity in the Broadcast Industry was at Cannes where the world’s biggest content exhibition and conference MIPCOM was held from 9-13 October. It was technology under focus there.

At MIPCOM, one could have a feel of how the content market was becoming global. With distribution technologies going digital like the digital satellite, Cable Television, Broadband, IPTV and Mobile TV, transporting content from one part of the globe to another is a matter of seconds. Also, due to the concept of the world becoming a global village coming to reality, local markets have also become global. Formats of programmes are becoming universal, outsourcing in animation content production and distribution has become the norm. Digital technology has increased the demand for good content to such an extent that there is always a dearth of it. Events like MIPCOM play a major role in recognising and satisfying this demand.

November 2006

Wednesday, November 01, 2006 -- Regional satellite television major Sun TV Ltd informed the stock exchanges that Sun TV, the flagship channel of the company, will be a pay channel with effect. from December 2, 2006. The rate to the cable operators for Sun TV will be Rs 12 per month, per subscriber.

Globalisation Of Content

Last month the centre of activity in the Broadcast Industry was at Cannes where the world’s biggest content exhibition and conference MIPCOM was held from 9-13 October. It was technology under focus there.