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Conditional
access system (CAS), new uplinking norms for the TV news channels,
KU-band direct-to-home (DTH) television service finally on the horizon
- it has been action time for the information and broadcasting (I&B)
ministry, of late. But how successful has been the government in
giving shape to policy decisions?
On
the occasion of the more than 17-party coalition federal government
completing four years in office on 13 October, indiantelevision.com
takes a look at the performance of the I&B ministry over the
last 12 months.
The
I&B ministry is the nodal ministry for the information, broadcasting
and entertainment (including films) sectors. The functions of the
three sectors, the government feels, are complementary to each other
and cannot be strictly compartmentalised.
In
the last five years, the rapid advances being made globally in the
entertainment and broadcasting sectors and a series of bold policy
initiatives have transformed the role of the ministry from an information
disseminator to a facilitator of economic growth.
| "People
blame me for a lot of things including the CAS fiasco, but one
must appreciate that I have inherited many things in a legacy" |
I&B
minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's these quotes may just become
his famous last words! |
Up-linking
policy
Till recently, the policy permitted all TV channels, irrespective
of ownership equity structure or management control, to uplink from
India.
Taking
advantage of this policy, the I&B ministry insists, 92 channels
have received permission for uplinking from India. In addition,
India is envisaged to become an up-linking hub. For this purpose,
49 per cent foreign equity has been permitted in Indian companies
setting up teleports. A total of 23 teleports have been approved
already.
However,
the review of the uplinking policy, which now stipulates that in
news channels desirous of uplinking from India, foreign investment
would be limited up to 26 per cent only, created more controversies
than anticipated.
Allegation
flew thick that the government had succumbed to the pressures from
domestic media companies like Zee, Sahara, Aaj Tak and others, still
reeling under the onslaught of the success story spun by Star India
few years ago riding piggyback the hugely popular Kaun Banega
Crorepati (KBC)
game show on Star Plus.
The
uplinking policy was further revised earlier this year to ensure
that at least one single Indian entity owns 51 per cent of equity
and editorial and managerial control remain in the hands of Indians
only. This again was seen as owing to the wishes of the Indian media
industry, which also hurriedly came under an umbrella organisation
called the Indian Media Group to lobby for a level-playing field.
Star
India, of course, hit back saying that channels like Zee News, Sahara
Samay and Aaj Tak were afraid of the tough competition that Star
News was giving.
To
be fair to the government, and the I&B minister Ravi Shankar
Prasad, every country has the right to frame rules and regulations
to suit its local needs and sensitivities - in this connection India
cannot be termed something unique.
What
could have been avoided by the government is the unsavory atmosphere
leading up to the policy change and the subsequent letter work between
the government and Star India, questioning its role in Media Content
and Communications Services (MCCS).
India's
first DTH
It took over two years for the government to finally issue a license
for a KU-band DTH service in India, and the first off the block,
shortcomings notwithstanding, was the Subhash Chandra-controlled
ASC Enterprise that has put together a platform in association with
another Chandra company Zee
Telefilms.
Though
the government opened up DTH transmission service in the KU-band
field over two years ago, the cumbersome procedures, which raise
the usual bogey of national security, not only delayed action in
this segment, but also dipped the appetite to invest. However, India's
pubcaster Doordarshan (DD) is also slated to launch a DTH service
to reach the rural, mountainous and inaccessible areas.
Cable TV regulation/CAS fiasco
In
the third year in office, if one is asked to name the biggest flop
show of the year produced by the government, then that answer would
undoubtedly be CAS.
With
an aim to bring transparency in the cable distribution system and
to protect the TV consumers from frequent and arbitrary hikes in
cable subscription, the Cable Act was amended to introduce CAS for
pay channels. CAS would also give consumers the choice to pay for
only those pay channels they wish to view.
CAS
demanded that a set-top box be installed at the consumer's place.
No box was required for receiving free to air channels, however.
However,
the political and industry circus that followed the government announcement
to bring about addressability could have itself made a chart-topping
high TRP attracting soap opera. The twist and turns still continue
with Chennai hiccuping with CAS rollout and the Delhi, Mumbai and
Kolkata subscribers sitting in an environment of pretty confusion.
Industry
status to entertainment sector
One of the major policy initiatives that was meant to revolutionise
the film production in the country has been the granting of the
'Industry Status' to the entertainment sector that includes the
film-making segment.
Institutional
finance and other facilities are now available to the sector. The
Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) and the commercial banks
have already started financing film and other entertainment projects.
These banks sanctioned assistance worth over Rs 5,600 million, the
government has
said, but a general apprehension about the film industry still continues
in the organised financial world.
But
a laudable step is that it gives fillip to availability of clean
credit for new projects.
Encouraging
exports
 |
| Thanks
to the govt's active encouragement in exporting entertainment
products, films like 'Lagaan' have made to the Oscars |
The
government in recent times has actively encouraged export of Indian
entertainment products, including films, music and animation capability.
Apart
from participation in film festivals and markets abroad, a partnership
with the industry has been established through FICCI and CII, which
will help make inroads into the global market.
In
the past five years, besides the increase in export revenue from
Rs 2,500 million to over Rs 9,000 million, there has been recognition
of Indian films at Cannes, Locarno and in other parts of the world
and also nominations for films like Lagaan for Oscar Awards.
To further add some business zing to the story, a memorandum of
understanding (MoU) has been signed with Italy for co-production
and co-distribution of films. Similar
MOUs/agreements are being pursued with France, Canada, UK and other
countries.
Radio
broadcasting on the rise
In
order to diversify radio services and provide choice in entertainment
to the people, FM broadcasting has been opened up for the private
broadcasters, according to the government.
Five
private FM channels at Mumbai and one each at Bangalore, Ahmedabad,
Lucknow, Pune, Vishakapatnam, Coimbatore, Trivananthapuram and Indore
have been operationalised. The private FM services in Delhi, Chennai
and Kolkata have also been on air.
But
in between the first and the yet-to-start second phase, the private
FM players realized that in their enthusiasm to outbid competition,
too much of money had been sunk into license fee and such things.
The usual wailing from the industry has led the government to set
up a task force to look into the radio broadcast policy and the
steps needed to be taken to streamline things for the future.
The
second phase is likely to be taken up after April next year and
the task force on radio broadcast policy will submit its recommendations
later this month. The task force would assess the functioning of
the Phase I of FM radio privatisation and suggest steps to improve
the system in the second phase, including the possibility of allowing
news and current affairs on private FM radio channels.
It
still needs to be seen whether the government accepts all
the recommendations of the task force for implementation or does
it selectively to retain certain control.
All
India Radio (AIR), in the meantime, launched its second FM channel
providing both news and entertainment content.
Upgrading
Prasar Bharati
A special package of Rs 4,300 million for improvement of AIR/DD
infrastructure in Jammu & Kashmir has been implemented. Another
package for improvement of the AIR/DD infrastructure in the northeast
region (including Sikkim and Island territories) is being implemented
during the tenth Five-Year Plan. In the northeast, a scheme for
establishment of 160 cable head-ends in select villages has been
taken up.
Critics,
however, lament that sinking such huge amount of money in the organisation
is futile as AIR and DD, put together, are so huge that its size
has slowed it down.
New(s)
channels on DD
 |
| Today,
DD has 24-hours channels in Gujarati, Bangla, Tamil, Telugu,
Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Punjabi and Oriya |
Twenty-four
hours satellite channels have been launched in Gujarati, Bangla,
Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Punjabi and Oriya by
the DD.
But
what is making more news is the relaunch of the 24-hour news channel
expected next month, by converting the broadcaster's entertainment
channel DD Metro into DD News.
The
justification for this is that it would provide around-the-clock
news and current affairs information to the people on the terrestrial
channel and extend the service to rural and other areas, which are
not covered by cable services.
Still,
the skeptics firmly believe that taxpayers' money is being used
to experiment with a news channel at a time when elections are round
the corner.
FDI in print
A review of the policy on allowing foreign investment in the
print media was carried out and effected last year. Publication
of Indian editions of foreign scientific, technical, specialty journals
on a case-by-case basis has been allowed aFDI of up to 74 per cent.
As for Indian entities publishing newspapers/periodicals dealing
with news and current affairs, FDI of up to 26 per cent has also
been allowed on a case-by-case basis.
But
till now very few main-line proposals have come. The big ones being
Hindustan Times-Hendersen Global deal and Financial Times of London
deciding to pick up about 14 per cent stake in Business Standard.
Expenditure
reforms commission
In
response to the recommendations of the Expenditure Reforms Commission
and after extensive review of the functioning of the various units
of the ministry, a proposal was made to rationalize the structure
of the units without adversely impinging on operational efficiency.
Part of its effort was to cut the size of the government and the
people it employs.
To
this end, 1,334 posts in the various media units of the ministry
were identified that could be abolished in a phased manner. Out
of these, 334 posts have already been abolished.
...And
more
Apart from these, yes, the I&B ministry has undertaken many
other activities that can be termed routine and obligatory. But
as I&B minister Prasad would put it, "People blame me for
lot of things (including the CAS fiasco), but one must appreciate
that I have inherited many things in a legacy and they were not
my doing." May
just turn out to be famous last words!
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