I&B Ministry
IBF, NBA, MSO Alliance get more representation in DAS Task Force
NEW DELHI: New members have been taken on board of the Task Force for Digital Addressable System (DAS) Phases III and IV headed by the Additional Secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
These include one additional member each from Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), and News Broadcasters Association (NBA).
In addition, the new members include Noida Technology Software Park as members representing HITS operator; Ortel Communications; and a representative each from four national MSOs – Den, Siticable, Hathway and IMCL – who were also members of the MSO Alliance; and the All India Digital Cable Federation.
The Government on 12 September last year had reconstituted the Task Force. This followed a revision of deadlines for the two final phases of DAS.
The other members of the Task Force are Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) principal advisor for broadcast and cable satellite, I&B Ministry joint secretary (Broadcasting), one other representative from the MSO Alliance, five independent MSOs one each from north, south, east, west and north east regions, five registered LCO associations one each from north, south, east, west and north east regions, representatives from the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, News Broadcasters Association, Association of Regional Television Broadcasters of India, DTH Association, FICCI, CII, ASSOCHAM, CEAMA, Department of Telecommunications, Department of Electronics and Information Technology, DG: Doordarshan, DG: All India Radio, BECIL, BIS, five prominent consumer organisations one each from north, south, east, west and north east regions and 33 state level nodal officers one each from the states/union territories governments.
The task force is aimed to act as an interface between the government and the industry in matters related to implementation of DAS in the cable TV sector and monitor the implementation of DAS. It also will have to analyze the roadblocks that may come in the way of digitization and suggest measures.
I&B Ministry
MIB halts news TRPs for four weeks over sensational US-Iran conflict coverage
Government flags panic-mongering in television war coverage
NEW DELHI: India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC) to suspend television ratings for news channels for four weeks amid concerns over sensational coverage of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran.
According to media reports, the move intends to curb excessive dramatisation in television reporting that could trigger unnecessary public anxiety.
Officials have observed that several news broadcasters are amplifying developments in the conflict in ways that may fuel panic among viewers. By temporarily halting the publication of viewership data, the ministry hopes to ease the competitive pressure on channels to chase ratings through sensational content.
The suspension will remain in effect for one month for now. During this period, television news channels will continue to broadcast as usual, but their audience measurement figures will neither be counted nor released.
Authorities will monitor both the evolving geopolitical situation and the tone of television coverage during the pause. The four-week suspension could be extended if the government believes the risk of panic-mongering or sensational reporting persists.
