There will be a complete switch over from analog to digital broadcast signals in the country in a phased manner by December 2013, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman J.S. Sarma said Friday.

He said TRAI’s final consultation paper on digitalisation will be released next week.

Sarma asked the industry to support for the switch-over. ‘We are forward looking and proactive on regulation on digitalisation,’ he said at a conference organised by CII.

Wecoming the decision, Amit Khanna, chairman, Reliance Big Entertainment, said media companies have to transform from products to relationship with audience in the future. He predicted more event-based (FIFA World Cup, Avatar, 3 Idiots) things in the emerging digital world. ‘We are moving away from economy of attention to economy of in attention and there is too much distractions.’

Speaking on the digitalization of Pay TV, Vikram Kaushik, Tata Sky chief executive, said: ‘The major challenge of digitalising is the fragmented economy, due to which the industry is losing large amounts of money. It is critical for proper implementation of digitalisation. It has to be mandated’.

Source:

http://sify.com/finance/digital-broadcas…bgeje.html

Srinagar, July 29: Government on Thursday evening banned the transmission of two local TV channels, SEN Channel and SEN Awaz, for telecasting what it called as “provocative programs including speeches of secessionist elements” and protests.

The authorities have directed the Senior Superintendent of Police Srinagar to immediately close down the transmission of the channels.

The ban order has been issued by District Magistrate Srinagar, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo, for ‘violating’ the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995.

“Whereas SEN channel and SEN Awaz have been giving wide coverage to the provocative speeches and activities of secessionist elements for creating law and order problems. In this connection, the Executive Director of SEN and SEN Awaz channels was advised to observe programme code as envisaged under the Cable Television Network (Regulation Act) 1995 in letter and spirit. But the said directions have been flouted repeatedly,” Kakroo who is also the Deputy Commissioner Srinagar states in the order (DMS/PS-Misc/10/840-52) dated July 29.

He states that the channels have been “showing stone pelting attacks on CRPF bunkers, statement of separatists and hartal calls in such a way which incite people to create law and order problems.”

“Whereas it has been reported that the said channel is not adhering to the instructions issued from time to time and are constantly violating the time slot for telecasting the day to day happenings. Whereas notices were served to the said channel on a number of occasions and lastly on July 1 directing it to adhere to the instructions from time to time.”

The order states that the Executive Director of the channels had assured that in future he will abide by the directions and will not try to overstep the jurisdiction.

“Whereas it has again been observed that the said channels have failed to keep up the assurances given from time to time. Whereas after examining the records of the programmes, I have reached to the conclusion that telecasting of such provocative programmes by SEN channels and SEN Awaz are in contravention to the provisions of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995 and as such, it has become expedient to close down the transmissions of the said channels.”

“Now I, Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo, District Magistrate Srinagar hereby direct the Senior Superintendent of Police Srinagar to close down the transmissions of the said channels under Section 19 of the Cable Television Network (Regulations) Act 1995 forthwith,” the order states.

The Chief Editor of SEN channel, Syed Tajamul, refuted the Government’s allegations. “We were strictly complying with the directions of the authorities and only telecasting news for 15 minutes from 8.00 pm to 8.15 pm. Due to the curtailment in news timings, we lost almost all sponsors but we adhered to the Government order. I fail to understand why our channels have been banned as we did not telecast anything which can be construed as provocative.” Tajamul told Greater Kashmir.

He said this was not the first time that the SEN channels were banned. “This is selective victimization and sheer harassment. We will be exploring options to challenge the ban,” he said.

Source:

http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2010/…ork-71.asp

BBC will launch soon its channels BBC Knowledge and BBC Lifestyle in India.
for details-
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news…234732.cms

The Hind GEC market is set to widen with the emergence of a new player. Titled as Home TV, this GEC is expected to launch within a month or two.

“Home TV is the new channel that will air launch soon. It’s based in Faridabad .They’ve shot 10-12 pilots. As of now one hasn’t heard of any big production house as the content is being provided unheralded and first time producers. Ranjit Negi’s Hari Om production is one of them. Few ex-Balaji officials have started their production house, and they are producing a show for Home TV,” said a source.

Given the market condition and competition, a new channel is never a safe idea. Let’s see whether Home TV will land home safely.

Expect more details about Home in the coming months.

http://www.realbollywood.com/news/2010/0…v-gec.html

The Indian Direct-to-home (DTH) broadcast market is witnessing a flood of premium and add-on services like HD (high definition) and gaming features, but cost remains a stumbling block in efforts to woo customers, industry players say.

In the last six months, major players like Dish TV, Tata Sky and Airtel have launched high-end services like HD and PVR (personal video recording) in efforts to diversify their product in an increasingly crowded DTH broadcast industry, but the jury is still out on whether traditionally cost-sensitive subscribers will take the bait.

“This market will grow, but slowly. There is growth in value added services like games, banking services or matrimony, but when it comes to premium services like HD or PVR’s, that will all depend on the cost of these services,” says Salil Kapoor of Dish TV.

Others are more confident that quality will triumph over cost in a market which is still dominated by cable operators, who provide cheaper service.

“15 to 20% of our new acquisitions have been on the back of HD sets, so we are seeing a response from Sec A and B centres”, says Ajai Puri, Director and CEO, DTH, Bharti Airtel.

While the flood of added features are a bonanza for consumers, for DTH companies, already battling competition from local cable operators and MSO’s (multi system operators), it also means a higher cost of acquiring subscribers.

A report by consulting firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers says DTH players are bleeding Rs 5 billion annually largely due to increased competition.

Players are facing challenges by having a very high subscriber acquisition cost. This cost is around Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 per customer for a few operators and this scenario is likely to continue, the report says.

The DTH market in India is currently at around 20 million subscribers and poised to grow, especially in rural areas, where penetration is presently at 64% as compared to 34% in 2008.

But most rural users are looking for that essentially Indian quality of value for money, making advanced technology an essentially urban need.

“You have to keep in mind that this is a cost sensitive market, and companies are selling services like PVR’s at a subsidised cost to consumers. They will have to wait till these consumers get so used to it that they won’t mind a cost hike, but I don’t think that tipping point will come any time soon,” says Timmy Khandari of PwC.

Source:

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busines…73517.html

MUMBAI: Star CJ Network India, the 50:50 JV between Star India and South Korea’s CJ O Shopping, is gearing up to launch its home shopping channel Star CJ Alive on 1 August.

The channel launch comes after a 10-month-long pilot phase as a six-hour slot on Star Utsav and is set to expand the market currently occupied by a lone warrior, HomeShop18.

Star CJ comes with a tagline “Ab Super Shopping TV Pe” (now super shopping on TV). The channel boasts of approximately 300 select, premium branded products across the categories of home appliances, electronics, telecommunications, fashion and skincare. It will also showcase lifestyle enhancing products.

Launching Star CJ Alive as a six hour slot a year back worked to our advantage by giving us an opportunity to study the market and its needs along with the consumer behaviour pertaining to the home shopping industry in India. We realised that even though the industry is still in its nascent stage, there lies a huge potential in the years to come, given the increasing discretionary income of Indian consumers,” says Star CJ Network India CEO Paritosh Joshi.

For starters, the channel will be available in 40 cities spread across Maharashtra, Delhi NCR, Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.

Says Star India CEO Uday Shankar, “We have built alliances with an array of entities to augment our business and increase our offerings to our audience. We are very pleased to launch Star CJ Alive, our round-the-clock dedicated premium home shopping channel. Given the popularity Star enjoys and the response that the channel has received since its launch last year as a six-hour slot on Star Utsav, we are confident that Star CJ Alive will soon be living up to its promise of transforming lifestyles for its audience.”

While promoting Star CJ Alive across the Star network of channels, the marketing plan will entail taking airtime on Hindi GECs like Zee TV and Sony Entertainment, English and Hindi movie channels such as HBO, Star Gold, UTV Movies, Zee Cinema and English and Hindi news channels. The campaign will be further supported by print, outdoor and radio.

The homeshopping business is still at an evolution stage in India. HomeShop18 posted a revenue of just over Rs 500 million in FY’10 and is targeting Rs 700-800 million this fiscal.

Says HomeShop18 CEO Sundeep Malhotra, “There is a limitation in being a lone player and developing the market. Star CJ’s launch will help the market to expand.”

http://www.indiantelevision.com/headline…uly241.php

MUMBAI: MSM Discovery is adding sports channels to its entertainment and news stable, entering into a three-year distribution pact with Neo Sports for an undisclosed amount.

The company, which operates under the OneAlliance brand, will get to distribute Neo Sports and Neo Cricket on cable and HITS (Headend-In-The-Sky) platforms. Neo will continue to keep the DTH side of its distribution business.

Says Multi Screen Media CEO Man Jit Singh, “Having Neo with its coverage of BCCI cricket complements the strength the bouquet draws from IPL and gives our bouquet the two largest cricket properties and a year round sports presence. TheOneAlliance has a significant presence in every genre and is the strongest distribution bouquet in India.”

MSM Discovery will distribute the channels from 1 September. “There is a short transition phase. TheOneAlliance will distribute the channels from 1 September. Neo will continue to distribute the two channels on DTH,” says Neo Sports Broadcast president affiliate sales Arun Poddar.

Neo Cricket has the rights of all the BCCI events in India till 2014. Its line up for the next few months include the Australia and New Zealand tour. Neo Sports, on the other hand, showcases football, tennis, golf and other sporting properties.

“We are the only distribution platform which offers the best of channels in all genres including sports. We will be distributing the Neo channels on analogue and digital cable and HITS platform,” says MSM Discovery president Rajesh Kaul.

TheOneAlliance has in its family channels like Sony, Max, Sab, Pix, AXN, Discovery, Discovery Travel and Living, Animal Planet, Aaj Tak, NDTV 24X7, NDTV India and NDTV Profit.

Says Neo Sports Broadcast chairman Harish Thawani, “TheOneAlliance and Neo Sports Broadcast distribution deal is a strategically sound arrangement. The OneAlliance has proven track record of quality distribution and Neo Sports Broadcast has key properties on Neo Cricket and Neo Sports. This deal will provide an extremely robust platform for higher reach and empower the viewers to consume quality sports properties.”

http://www.indiantelevision.com/headline…uly239.php

India`s largest media conglomerate Sun TV Network has posted rise of 42.70% in its net profit for the quarter ended Jun.30, 2010.

It has posted a net profit of Rs 1,709.50 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2010 as compared to Rs 1,198 million for the same quarter previous year.

Total income has increased 49.64% from Rs 3,018.80 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2009 to Rs 4,517.20 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2010

http://www.myiris.com/newsCentre/storySh…de1=&code=

Viacom18 The broadcaster, which runs channels such as Colors and MTV, alleged that MSM Discovery is distributing its channels in an unfair and unfavourable manner

Viacom 18 Media had filed a petition before TDSAT, asking it to restrain MSM Discovery from distributing and marketing its channels. Viacom18 The broadcaster, which runs channels such as Colors and MTV, alleged that MSM Discovery is distributing its channels in an unfair and unfavourable manner.

“The Respondent(MSM Discovery) has deliberately packaged the said channels, particularly Colors, in an unfair and unfavourable manner despite being one of the three highest-rated Hindi entertainment channels, Colors is not yet included in the basic tiers/bouquets/packages of DTH operators like Tata Sky and Dish TV,” Viacom18 had stated in its petition.

Viacom18 channels are a part of the Sun18 bouquet, the recently announced alliance between the Network18 Group and the SUN Group.

Source:

http://www.indiainfoline.com/Markets/New…4892471815

Leading broadcaster Star India today hit out at regulator Trai for ’shocking’ recommendations for DTH tariff, saying that this would wreak havoc in the industry, and it would seek rejection of the same legally.

“The way they (recommendations) are at the moment, it should be outrightly rejected…We will ask the apex body IBF (Indian Broadcasting Foundation) for challenging it in court,” Star India head Uday Shankar told PTI.

He charged that the recommendations not only deprived the consumer of choosing a channel but also failed to address the revenue leakage through underdeclaration by cable operators and theft.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had last week fixed the wholesale tariff to be paid to broadcasters for TV channels by DTH and IPTV service providers and cable operators in conditional access system areas at 35 per cent of the corresponding rates for normal cable operators.

“Current TRAI recommendations will weaken the broadcast sector in the short term and much more in the long run,” Shankar said.

Besides, TRAI had recently submitted before the Supreme Court that the maximum monthly bill for cable TV should be at Rs 250 per month, which includes the basic package and more than 20 pay channels and the minimum at Rs 100 for up to 30 free-to-air channels.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/n…/102852/on