255 TV channels allowed uplinking from India : Tata Sky DTH

[sanoj]

ISRO is increasing the no. of transponders available. Indiantelevision.com's interview with Isro contract management & legal services director SB Iyer




Yes, there are some channels that are good. And they have to show ads because if they go completely pay, everybody will desert them.

Everybody knows that the problems is with the socialist mindset of the government and its many agencies. There is no competition in the terrestrial broadcasting space. And satellite tps are allocated like manufacturing licenses in pre-Narasimha Rao days.

One of these days, DD will have to be privatised. Let people bid for terrestrial broadcasting rights. And most of India will then have free (or near free) access to lots of channels.


Well said.:thumbsup: I fully agree.

 

[ajuravi007]

Govt relooks at FDI norms in broadcast
28 Nov, 2007, 0216 hrs IST, TNN
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo.cms?msid=1568696 Print
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo.cms?msid=1568697 Save
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo.cms?msid=1784493 EMail
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo.cms?msid=2010364 Write to Editor

NEW DELHI: The government has initiated the process of reviewing the existing FDI norms in broadcast sector, following Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) recommendation for a holistic review.

“Based on the (TRAI) recommendations, the government has initiated the process for review of the existing FDI norms in consultation with the concerned ministries,” information and broadcasting (I&B) minister PR Dasmunsi said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

TRAI has recommended that 74% FDI be allowed across segments in the broadcast sector to bring it at par with the telecom sector. It had made a case for a review of the existing FDI policy in broadcast, saying it would bring about a greater degree of consistency in the rules for various segments within the broadcasting sector and also in view of the likely convergence in future between telecom and broadcast sectors.

The current policy permits 49% FDI in cable services, 20% FDI in FM radio, 26% in TV news broadcasters and 74% in telecom. While 49% foreign investment is allowed in DTH, only 20% can be direct foreign holding, the rest being FII investment.

In case of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and non-news TV broadcasters, 100% FDI is allowed. TRAI had also recommended 74% FDI in Head-end in the Sky (HITS) — a satellite-based system to distribute television signal via cable — whenever this platform is rolled out in India.

A recent cabinet note said that the government was considering allowing 74% FDI in cable TV services and HITS and 100% FDI in downlinking general and entertainment channels uplinked from abroad. The cabinet note, however, was silent on raising the FDI cap in DTH to 74% in line with cable TV.

Mr Dasmunsi also said the government has signed agreements with private broadcasters for operationalisation of 122 FM radio channels by March 2008 and has also invited tenders for allotment of 97 vacant channels. The government plans to bring out policy guidelines to regulate the content shown by service providers on Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and to amend the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867.