I&B Ministry
Govt attempts arm twisting Ten Sports
NEW DELHI: Even as information and broadcasting minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is slated to meet prime minister A B Vajpayee this evening on the issue of Indo-Pakistan cricket telecast, the government this afternoon issued veiled threats to Dubai-based Ten Sports exhorting it “to rise above commercial considerations.”
“We understand that there are commercial considerations involved, but for an event of this magnitude and importance, (Indian) public interest should ALSO be kept above everything. Private broadcasters should rise above commercial considerations,” India’s information and broadcasting ministry secretary Pawan Chopra told journalists on the sidelines of unveiling of a reference handbook for the forthcoming general elections.
Though it may be termed posturing on the part of the government, Chopra pointed out that the government is still trying its best to “resolve” the cricket issue. For a better effect, he said, “Keeping the long term interest of the private players, they should relent. After all, they have to continue doing business here (in India).”
Chopra said that had the Convergence Communications Bill (pending a Parliament okay) been enacted into a law,clauses in it would have taken care of such turn of events where terrestrial rights to DD would have become mandatory.
The issue of cricket telecast is threatening to blow into a political issue in the run up to the general elections as Ten Sports, the global telecast rights holder for all cricket matches to be played under the aegis of the Pakistan Cricket Board, till date has refused to bow under pressure from Doordarshan to share the terrestrial feeds of the matches with it. Being the host nation, Pakistan’s state-controlled broadcaster PTV will have the terrestrial telecast rights in Pakistan. All India Radio has managed to buy the broadcast rights for the matches from Ten.
The issue has come to a head with cable operators — not backed by some big multi-system operators —yesterday making it clear that they would be unable to show the cricket matches on Ten Sports as the channel is asking for a massive hike in connectivity, which would result in a huge amount of money as outflow.
Asked by indiantelevision.com whether the government could recommend to the President to promulgate an executive order making it mandatory for telecast feeds of events of national importance to be given to the national/public service broadcaster (Doordarshan), Chopra said, “The issue (of Ordinance) is not in my hand.”
Asked what the government would do if the matter doesn’t get resolved, Chopra said, “Wait and watch.”
Meanwhile, government sources indicated that the Prasad-PM meet may dwell on the cricket issue and, if need be, the issue may be discussed between the two countries at the highest level.
Two days back, India’s external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha is understood to have spoken to his Pakistani counterpart on the issue of telecast feeds being made to available to DD also. The effect of this on the Pakistani side is still not known.
I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
