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:-

“(6) No cable operator shall carry or include in his cable service any television broadcast or channel, which has not been registered by the Central Government for being viewed within the territory of India”:

Provided that a cable operator may continue to carry or include in his cable service any Television broadcast or channel, who has made an application for registration to the Central Government on or before the date of commencement of this notification, for period of six months from the date of such commencement or tell such registration has been granted or refused, whichever is earlier:

Provided further that channels uplinking from India, in accordance with permission for uplinking granted before 2nd December, 2005, shall be treated as “registered” television channels and can be carried or included in the cable service.

P.K. Tripathi

(F. No. 2302/1/2004-BC-III)

Notice to all MSOs, DTH Operators,Cable Operators with Headends

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting vide F. No. 2302/1/2004 - BC- III (Part-1) has issued the following notice asking information about all channels carried on cable networks & DTH to confirm adherence to the notification regarding registration of channels. Text of the Notice is reproduced for information of all readers

Subject: Carrying illegal television channels in violation of the downlinking guidelines in Cable/DTH service,

1.The Undersigned is directed to inform you that as per the ‘policy guidelines for downlinking of television channels’ issued on 11.11.2005 by this Ministry all the television channels uplinked from abroad and down linked into India have to register themselves before the expiry of 180 days from the date of this notification. The last date for such registration expired on 10.5.2006 The notification of the Cable Television Network (Amendment) Rules 2006 and the amendment to DTH guidelines was issued on 11.5.2006. As per this, a cable operator may continue to carry or include, in his cable service any television broadcast or channel, only those TV channels which had made an application for registration to the Central Government on or before the date of commencement of the notification, for a period of six months from the date of such commencement or till such registration has been granted or refused, whichever is earlier. The details of the 173 television channels permitted to uplink from India, the details of the 65 television channels uplinked from abroad and down linked in India and notification issued by this Ministry on downlinking guidelines are posted on Ministry’s web-site http/: mib.nic.in.

2. In the light of the above all MSOs/ DTH Operators/ cable Operators with head-ends are directed to give the following information within seven (7) days of receipt of this letter.

a)To intimate this Ministry the names of the channels that have been disconnected for telecasting, giving specific dates from which these have been disconnected.

b)To intimate this Ministry the names of channels that are not permitted/registered by the Ministry of I&B and which are still being carried in their networks and reasons for violation of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and the Rules framed thereunder, the notification of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules 2006 vide F.No.2302/1/2004 BC 111, dated 11.5.2006 and DTH licence agreement amendment order dated 11 5.2006.

3. Apart from the above, all MSOs/DTH Operators and COFI are directed to sensitize and activate all the Cable/DTH operators about the new regime and inform the action taken to this Ministry within seven days of receipt of this letter.

(Prawin Kumar)

Director

Tel.No: 2338 1246

Source: http://cablequest.org/articles/regulations/item/1392-channels-rush-for-registration.htmlSource: http://cablequest.org/articles/regulations/item/1392-channels-rush-for-registration.html