'CNBC will ally with other broadcasters if it gets into DTH'

(Posted on 19 February 1:15 pm)

CNBC India will not get into direct-to-home services on its own but would be looking at allying with other broadcasters in setting up a platform, CEO Harish Chawla said on Monday.

Chawla clarified that CNBC was still a long way away from concretising plans on how to go forward because they were yet to identify possible partners in the project.

"We hope to enter the DTH market at some point but I can't say when exactly because there are a number of issues which need looking into," Chawla said.

The principal issue that is exercising the industry is the 20 per cent sectoral and foreign equity cap on DTH operations that the government is demanding. Information and broadfcasting minister Sushma Swaraj has repeatedly said there will be no change in the guidelines issued in November 2000 despite strong lobbying from the industry for its increase.

Swaraj has said DTH guidelines will be issued sometime this week and it is only then that there will be a clear fix on who is likely to finally get into DTH operations.

 

 

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