I&B Ministry
I&B Ministry urges Home Ministry to expedite security clearances for MSOs
NEW DELHI: Keeping in view the continuing delays in multi-system operators (MSOs) failing to get security clearance, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) has send a fresh reminder to the Home Ministry in this regard.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, I&B secretary Bimal Julka said that a meeting has also been sought with concerned officials of the Home Ministry to sort out issues, if any.
He said that the process of digitisation will not be affected, but agreed that several proposals by private MSOs have remained pending for long periods either with the I&B or the Home Ministry.
The I&B Ministry holds open house meetings on a regular basis with MSO representatives so that any queries can be answered.
The Ministry had itself conceded that a proposal by Reliance Jio Media for registration as a multi-system operator under the digital addressable system was sent to the Home Ministry in February last year for security clearance and has still not been returned.
The representative of Reliance Jio, Abhishek Soni, was told that the Home Ministry would take some time to furnish comments/security clearance.
CAT Vision was told that a reminder was being sent to the Home Ministry in its case. Signum Digital Network was also given the same assurance.
Digirevo Networks received a similar response to its query at the open house meeting held early this month.
Other MSOs received similar replies in meetings held during February and March this year include Goldy Dishnet, Citv Television Network, Sri Udav Satvision, and General Entertainment.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
