February 2011

1/2/11 -- Viacom18 Media has launched Colors and MTV India in Singapore as it seeks to rapidly expand on its international revenues.

Budget may boost Digitalisation

Amidst investigations of various scams, the UPA government is busy drafting a populist budget that may ease their situation a little. There is no end to inflation which, in-spite of our growing economy is adversely affecting our daily lives. Billions of dollars stashed away in various Tax heavens by Indian residents and Supreme Court’s pressure on the government to do something about that is another worry the government is facing. 2G scam has already worried the government to great extent. Although, expected GDP growth figures are encouraging, how much budget allocation the broadcast industry will get from the government under these circumstances can be easily guessed? 

Our lead story in this issue discusses various budgetary proposals put up by the industry to the Finance Ministry. These proposals are meant to cover the digitalisation process and in view of the subject getting government’s utmost attention for providing broadband services in the rural areas as recommended by TRAI in National Broadband Plan.