dinee
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The TRAI Has Reiterated Its Early Stand - Except For Prasar Bharati, No Govt Organisation Should Be Allowed Into Broadcasting.
Pushed by the I&B ministry for an early verdict, the TRAI, on 28 Dec 2012 (within a month) issued its Recommendations on "Issues related to entry of certain entities in to the business of broadcasting and/or distribution of TV channels".
BACKGROUND
In 2008 the TRAI had issued its recommendations on the same matter, expressing the view that the Prasar Bharati (DD & AIR) adequately broadcast the Government's views to the people of the country, responsibly & thoroughly. Hence there was no need to permit other Government ministries, organisations, state governments etc to also parallelly establish their own broadcasting business.
VARIOUS APPLICATIONS
The I&B ministry has received applications from various government bodies including the following:
⇒ The HRD ministry's plan to launch 1,000 channels with educational content as envisaged under the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology.
⇒ The Punjab government's proposal to set up a TV broadcasting station,
⇒ Andhra Pradesh's plan to distribute Ku Band signals of Mana TV through cable operators and
⇒ Gujarat's proposal to operate DTH Educational channels.
⇒ Tamil Nadu's plan to commence Arasu's State wide digital CATV network. This license application has been pending with the I&B ministry.
TRAI RE-APPROACHED
On 30 Nov 2012, the I&B ministry once again asked the TRAI has been called to opine on whether licenses should be issued to central ministries or departments, central government-owned companies and undertakings, joint venture of central government and private sector, other central government funded entities, state government departments, state-owned companies, state undertakings, joint venture of the state government and the private sector & state government funded entities.
TRAI RECONFIRMS
On 28th December, the TRAI re-affirmed its earlier recommendations. The TRAI based its recommendations on the Sarkaria Commission report which said a political party controls the executive and there could be "a temptation to use the media wrongly in party interest and not necessarily in national interest".
The New recommendations are :
GOVT NOT ALLOWED
Central Government Ministries, Central/State Government Departments, Central/State Government owned companies, Central /State Government undertakings, joint venture of the Central/State Governments and the private sector and Central/State Government funded entities should not be allowed to enter in to the business of broadcasting and or distribution of TV channels.
STRENGTHEN PRASAR BHARTI
The arm's length relationship between Prasar Bharti and the Government be further strengthened. The Authority also recommends that such measures should ensure functional independence and autonomy of Prasar Bharti.
IMPLEMENT GOVT BAN
Unless over-ruled by any new legislation on broadcasting, the disqualifications recommended for political bodies to enter into broadcasting and/or distribution activities should be implemented through executive decision by incorporating the disqualifications into Rules, Regulations and Guidelines as necessary.
EXIT EXISTING GOVT PLAYERS
In case the Central Government has already accorded permission to any State Government/State Government owned companies/State Government undertakings/Joint venture of the State Government and the private sector/State Government funded entities to enter into the cable distribution platform, then the Central Government should provide an appropriate exit route.
COMMENT
The TRAI's emphatic affirmation must be lauded. The adage "The Govt Has No Business Being In Business" holds even more true in Indian broadcasting, where no line has been drawn to avoid political interference. Arasu was founded based on political vendetta, and is even now being promoted with political implications. The same holds in Punjab, where the dominant CATV network is strongly tilted towards the ruling party. One hardly needs the TRAI to sound the wakeup call.
The ruling will have a significant impact in Chennai, and DAS in Chennai is unlikely to be implemented even by the Phase 2 deadline of end March 2013. Political turmoil being created cannot also be ruled out.
Atleast for now, Indian citizen have been grated a reprise against political agendas being broadcast to them, or cheap and free Cable TV delivering Pay channels at below retail prices being used to politically bait the poor and uneducated.....
Source:-http://www.scatmag.com/article2.htm
Pushed by the I&B ministry for an early verdict, the TRAI, on 28 Dec 2012 (within a month) issued its Recommendations on "Issues related to entry of certain entities in to the business of broadcasting and/or distribution of TV channels".
BACKGROUND
In 2008 the TRAI had issued its recommendations on the same matter, expressing the view that the Prasar Bharati (DD & AIR) adequately broadcast the Government's views to the people of the country, responsibly & thoroughly. Hence there was no need to permit other Government ministries, organisations, state governments etc to also parallelly establish their own broadcasting business.
VARIOUS APPLICATIONS
The I&B ministry has received applications from various government bodies including the following:
⇒ The HRD ministry's plan to launch 1,000 channels with educational content as envisaged under the National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology.
⇒ The Punjab government's proposal to set up a TV broadcasting station,
⇒ Andhra Pradesh's plan to distribute Ku Band signals of Mana TV through cable operators and
⇒ Gujarat's proposal to operate DTH Educational channels.
⇒ Tamil Nadu's plan to commence Arasu's State wide digital CATV network. This license application has been pending with the I&B ministry.
TRAI RE-APPROACHED
On 30 Nov 2012, the I&B ministry once again asked the TRAI has been called to opine on whether licenses should be issued to central ministries or departments, central government-owned companies and undertakings, joint venture of central government and private sector, other central government funded entities, state government departments, state-owned companies, state undertakings, joint venture of the state government and the private sector & state government funded entities.
TRAI RECONFIRMS
On 28th December, the TRAI re-affirmed its earlier recommendations. The TRAI based its recommendations on the Sarkaria Commission report which said a political party controls the executive and there could be "a temptation to use the media wrongly in party interest and not necessarily in national interest".
The New recommendations are :
GOVT NOT ALLOWED
Central Government Ministries, Central/State Government Departments, Central/State Government owned companies, Central /State Government undertakings, joint venture of the Central/State Governments and the private sector and Central/State Government funded entities should not be allowed to enter in to the business of broadcasting and or distribution of TV channels.
STRENGTHEN PRASAR BHARTI
The arm's length relationship between Prasar Bharti and the Government be further strengthened. The Authority also recommends that such measures should ensure functional independence and autonomy of Prasar Bharti.
IMPLEMENT GOVT BAN
Unless over-ruled by any new legislation on broadcasting, the disqualifications recommended for political bodies to enter into broadcasting and/or distribution activities should be implemented through executive decision by incorporating the disqualifications into Rules, Regulations and Guidelines as necessary.
EXIT EXISTING GOVT PLAYERS
In case the Central Government has already accorded permission to any State Government/State Government owned companies/State Government undertakings/Joint venture of the State Government and the private sector/State Government funded entities to enter into the cable distribution platform, then the Central Government should provide an appropriate exit route.
COMMENT
The TRAI's emphatic affirmation must be lauded. The adage "The Govt Has No Business Being In Business" holds even more true in Indian broadcasting, where no line has been drawn to avoid political interference. Arasu was founded based on political vendetta, and is even now being promoted with political implications. The same holds in Punjab, where the dominant CATV network is strongly tilted towards the ruling party. One hardly needs the TRAI to sound the wakeup call.
The ruling will have a significant impact in Chennai, and DAS in Chennai is unlikely to be implemented even by the Phase 2 deadline of end March 2013. Political turmoil being created cannot also be ruled out.
Atleast for now, Indian citizen have been grated a reprise against political agendas being broadcast to them, or cheap and free Cable TV delivering Pay channels at below retail prices being used to politically bait the poor and uneducated.....
Source:-http://www.scatmag.com/article2.htm
