| NEW
DELHI: While exhorting broadcasting industry to sink differences for collective
benefit, Zee Telefilms chairman and maverick media entrepreneur Subhash Chandra
today posed several issues before the government and sector regulator, including
level playing field vis-à-vis telecom companies.
"Let us all
work together for long term benefits as blaming each other will not help. Let
us work in partnership," Chandra appealed to various constituents of the
industry while delivering a keynote address at the India Broadband Digital Networks
Forum organized here by Indiantelevision.com and Media Partners Asia.
Citing the example of
CAS, Chandra wondered if all the stakeholders felt that addressability is good
for the industry, how come it hasn't yet become a reality in India. "Simply
because vested interests (including broadcasters and cable fraternity) worked
against CAS' implementation since 2003," Chandra said.
Though he sought
a more liberal regulatory regime both in terms of pricing and policies in the
presence of I&B secretary and Trai chief , he agreed with both of them that
comparison of the Indian market with the likes of US and UK is uncalled for as
the former has its own needs and peculiarities. "If we had followed
the American model, it would have needed investments worth $ 150-200 billion to
bring the cable TV market to a level it now enjoys in terms of penetration, revenue
and employment generation in India," Chandra said.Earlier, information
and broadcasting secretary SK Arora in his keynote address made a fervent pitch
for digitalization of broadcasting services, which is imperative to keep pace
with global trends and changing business models of media companies. "In
terms of size and magnitude, the potential of the Indian broadcasting industry
remains…and it's quite a challenge to identify the impact that emerging technologies
would have on business models of companies," Arora said. Pointing out
that India needs to design its own "solutions" keeping in mind the socio-economic
scenario (read good services at low prices), Arora said regulations would be guided
by the principle that "consumer is king." According to the government
official, in the 11th Five-Year Plan, the work on which is presently underway,
the government is attempting to address the issue of digitalisation through "public-private
partnership." "We are encouraging and nudging them (the industry
players) to move towards digitalisation," Arora said, adding the first phase
of it is expected to be completed by 2010 coinciding with Delhi playing host to
the Commonwealth Games. Concurring with Arora, Telecom Regulatory of India
(Trai) chief Nripendra Misra said arrival of digital technology, which gives more
choice to consumers, and rapid convergence of services like telecom, infotech
and broadcasting were two major trends of the television industry. However,
Misra admitted that unregulated growth and lack of addressability had thrown up
its own problems for the broadcast and cable industry. In such a scenario,
DTH and CAS will have far-reaching impact on the industry, Misra said. Unfazed
by widespread criticism of some pricing diktats of Trai earlier, Misra said that
the regulator's endeavour is to spread level playing field for all and formulate
policies that are based to encourage efficiency, financing, development and equality. Though
he admitted various legal lacunae is hampering a move towards unified licencing
(whereby one single licence would enable delivery of telecom and broadcast services)
at present, he envisaged in future cable networks might provide telecom services
and give competition to telecom companies. "Convergence is being seen
as an opportunity (in India)…but any development globally has to be seen
in the Indian context," Misra said, adding Trai will be coming out soon with
a consultation paper on IPTV again. Meanwhile, at the start of the event,
Indiantelevision.com founder and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari and MPA executive
director Vivek Couto gave a snapshot of the Indian broadcast industry and the
trends that have emerged over the last few years increasingly leading towards
convergence. The morning session was attended by industry luminaries and
senior government officials, including John Malone-controlled Liberty Media board
member Shane O' Neil. | 
