Can we follow Leveson committee report on Media Ethics?

Manish Tewari while addressing a conference on the topics of Freedom of media and ethics stated that, Freedom of the press and journalistic ethics is an important topic today in India — with the word ‘press' encompassing the electronic media also. There should be a serious discussion on the topic. That discussion should include issues of the responsibilities of the press, since the media have become very prominent and very powerful.

CTMA Cable TV Show 2014

12-14 March 2014, Netaji Indoor Stadium, Kolkata

Customised Solutions for ISP Infrastructure

The Challenge

Ever since the role of internet has evolved from simple information exchange to multi-service field such as high quality audio & video online streaming, video conferencing, HDTV, storage on cloud, voice & data transmissions, the demand for high speed internet has been growing at an exponential pace. To ensure such high speed internet and deliver more value added services without disruption, successful Broadband ISPs have been planning to improve their last-mile network infrastructure.

Elections bring News Media in forefront

The Month of April will see the biggest democratic process go on as India goes for its Parliamentary elections. Every news channel is busy telecasting rallies of various political leaders, heated panel discussion on the possible outcome of elections and opinion polls. It is difficult to find a single channel that is unbiased. Every channel appears to have its own agenda according to its alliances with some political or industrial group.

Kejriwal led AAP party is in maximum news, not for anything else but its wrongdoings and remarks on the credibility of news channels, as Mr Kejiriwal  had publicly announced that most of the channels carry paid news or are biased . News channels are all out to also de-rate their rival channels carrying out sting operations against anchors who believe to be helping the Aam Aadmi Party. Many media persons have joined the party in the last few months. 

DTH operators owe 20 Billion to Government

Although the case is still pending in the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 24th March has sent a letter to all the six private direct-to-home (DTH) operators asking them to pay outstanding license fee dues within the next 15 days. 

FICCI-KPMG projects Indian M&E industry at Rs 1,786 bn by 2018

The industry is expected to register a CAGR of 14.2% wherein digital advertising is expected to have the highest CAGR of 27.7% while all other sub-sectors are expected to grow at a CAGR in the range of 9-18% by 2018

Ongoing India Digitisation Providing Tangible Benefits - CASBAA India Forum 2014

CASBAA's annual spotlight on the Indian multichannel TV market was recently held on March 5, 2014 at the Shangri-La New Delhi. Attracting over 150 delegates, speakers and media, the CASBAA India Forum 2014 brought together leading government officials and industry decision-makers to debate on the state of Indian television and the global broadcast market.

Providing Broadband in Rural India

A meeting of Bharat Broadband Network Ltd was held on 24.03.2014 at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, in connection with formal consultation process with the service providers to leverage the facilities created by NOFN for providing broadband services in rural India. Government of India has approved the setting up of National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) to provide connectivity to all the 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country. This would ensure at least 100 Mbps connectivity to each Gram Panchayat.This is to be achieved utilizing the existing optical fibre and extending it to Gram Panchayats. 

TDSAT Seminar, Shimla-22nd March 2014

On 22 March TDSAT held its seminar on ‘Regulatory Framework and Dispute Resolution in Telecom Broadcasting and ‘Cable Services Sectors’ in New Auditorium, Administrative Block, High Court of H.P at Shimla. These seminars are held regularly throughout the year in different cities of the country and aimed at discussing consumer issues in broadcasting and telecom sectors. The seminars also help to educate young lawyers and local stakeholders in understanding the dispute settlement process in the telecom and broadcasting sector. 

TRAI allows 27.5% hike in Channel Rates

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on 31st March 2014 through a notification of the Tariff Order namely the “Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Second) Tariff (Eleventh Amendment) Order, 2014”, has allowed 27.5% inflation linked hike in the tariff ceilings. These revisions are applicable both at the wholesale and retail levels. 

Based on the rise in the wholesale price index (WPI) over the last five years and considering the other relevant factors, the Authority has brought an overall 27.5% inflation hike. However, the Authority is of the view that a hike to the tune of 27.5% in a single go would not be appropriate for the market and the consumers to adjust to. Therefore, the Authority has prescribed this hike to be implemented in two installments. The first installment of 15% shall be effective from 1st April 2014. The second installment for the remaining inflation linked increase shall be made effective from 1st January 2015 which shall be notified subsequently. This is expected to give enough and reasonable time to all the stakeholders to adjust to these hikes.

TRAI policy of 12 minute ad cap becomes furor for news broadcasters.

Rejoice came for TV broadcasters as Delhi High Court on 13th March 2014 in its interim order continued the stay on Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ad cap regulation which limits their airing of advertisements to 12 minute per hour. Hearing the petition filed by News Broadcasting Authority (NBA) against the sector regulator’s 12-minute ad cap regulation, the Delhi High Court warned Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from taking any coercive action against petitioners.  Despite being protected by the interim relief, the petitioners have to submit a weekly report on the consumption of commercial airtime in a clock hour. 

TRAI to check MSO Dominance in States

In a move that may disturbed various political parties from the Akali Dal in Punjab to the DMK in Tamil Nadu the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has decided to cap at 50 per cent the market share of multi-system operators (MSO) engaged in cable TV distribution. He said that we have received recommendations from TRAI. An inter-ministerial committee considered and accepted the recommendations. A policy architecture is now in the works.

The MSOs, having direct or indirect connections to political parties or leaders, have come to monopolise cable television distribution in several states. TRAI has observed that Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Orissa, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh are dominated by a single MSO. Such “monopolies in the TV channel distribution market are not in the best interest of consumers and may have serious implications in terms of competition, pricing, quality of service and growth of the TV channel distribution market”, it said. Fastway Transmissions, which has come to almost monopolise cable TV distribution in Punjab, has been known to be controlled by the Akalis. Sumangali Cable Vision, an MSO associated with the DMK, has done the same in Tamil Nadu.