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On hearing the case today, the Chief Justice of the Delhi HC gave
the government four weeks time to respond to the petition. Apart
from the government of India (as the responsible authority for framing
policies and issuing licences), the country's first DTH service,
Dish TV, has also been made a party to the case. Two Subhash Chandra
companies, ASC Enterprises Ltd and Zee Telefilms promote Dish TV.
Interestingly, Rao, who also heads the Delhi-based media watchdog
Centre for Media Studies (CMS), filed the PIL in his individual
capacity.
In his petition Rao has submitted the following:
* The need for a national media policy, particularly with regard
to broadcasting
* The need for an independent regulator for broadcasting, going
by the spirit of the 1995 Supreme Court judgment (that said that
airwaves are public property)
* Setting up of a committee of experts, including those from the
Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), to look into ways of
containing pornographic channels/programmes with (KU-band) DTH coming
into the country as also its implications on national security
Outcome notwithstanding, the case is likely to have a bearing on
any prospective entrant into the DTH arena, which includes the Tata-Star
combine with Space TV and Indian pubcaster Doordarshan.
When contacted, Zee Telefilms refused comment on the issue, saying
the matter was sub-judice. On the other hand, a spokesperson for
Star India, the Indian arm of Rupert Murdoch's pan-Asian venture
Star Group, said, "We are still studying the case as we are
not a direct party to it." Prasar Bharati, which manages DD
and All India Radio, also refused to make any comments on the PIL.
The Tata-Star combine is still awaiting a nod from information
and broadcasting ministry for its Rs 1.6 billion proposed DTH venture,
while DD is slated to formally launch its DTH service sometime later
this month for which subscription charges would not be charged from
customers.
DD's DTH platform, named DD Direct, is still hunting around for
popular entertainment channels that are pre-dominantly in the private
sector. Except Star Utsav, no other Hindi entertainment channel
has agreed to come on board, including the free to air ones like
Sahara Manoranjan and Sab TV. But some popular channels from the
Sun TV group would be on DD Direct.
See Earlier Report:
Delhi
HC admits case seeking check on porn via DTH
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