I&B Ministry
MIB gives go ahead to 21 FM radio phase III bidders
MUMBAI: A gaggle of existing radiocasters, print media behemoths, TV broadcasters, builders, film producers and auto car dealers, are in the list of 21 pre-qualified bidders eligible to participate in the first batch e-auctions for 135 private FM channels in 69 existing cities of phase II. The list was released by the information & broadcasting ministry (MIB) today.
Among the companies which have got the go ahead figure: A M Television Pvt Ltd, Abhijit Realtors and Infraventures Pvt Ltd, Abir Buildcon Pvt Ltd, DB Corp Ltd, Embassy Nirman Pvt Ltd, Entertainment Network (India) Ltd, HT Media Limited, Malar Publications Ltd, Music Broadcast Pvt Ltd, Next Radio Ltd, Nirmal Sagar Buildcon Pvt Ltd, Odisha Television Ltd, Pratidin FM Pvt Ltd, Pudhari Publications Pvt Ltd, Rajasthan Patrika Pvt Ltd, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd, Remi Overseas Pvt Ltd, Renderlive Films & Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Sarthak Films Pvt Ltd, The Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Co. Ltd and Venus Autoworks Pvt Ltd
28 applicants had cumulatively submitted Rs 316.91 crore as earnest money deposit by end of day 27 March 2015 which was the deadline for the application process.
The Sun TV group is prominent amongst the bidders whose application was rejected. The group had routed its applications through five companies, and the application review committee in MIB rejected their applications as they had failed to get security clearance from the ministry of home affairs.
I&B Ministry
AIDCF moves TDSAT over Waves plan to stream linear TV channels
Industry body flags regulatory gap as OTT push sparks broadcast turf war
NEW DELHI: The battle between traditional television distributors and digital platforms has found its way to the courts, with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Prasar Bharati’s latest OTT play.
At the heart of the dispute is Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, which has invited applications to onboard linear satellite TV channels. Aidcf, which represents multi-system operators (msos), argues that this move sidesteps existing broadcasting rules and risks tilting the playing field in favour of digital platforms.
The federation’s petition hinges on a key provision in the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. Clause 11(3)(f) allows broadcasters to downlink channels only if they provide signal decoders to recognised distribution platforms such as MSOS, DTH operators, hits operators and iptv platforms. OTT platforms, aidcf points out, do not feature on that list.
In simple terms, AIDCF’s argument is this: if OTT platforms are not officially recognised distributors, they should not be receiving broadcast signals in the first place. By inviting channels onto Waves, the federation claims, Prasar Bharati is opening a backdoor that lets broadcasters bypass long-standing rules.
The concern goes beyond legal interpretation. Aidcf says OTT platforms currently operate without a clear regulatory framework, allowing them to expand into traditional broadcasting territory without the compliance burden that cable and satellite operators must carry. That, it argues, creates an uneven contest.
There is also a warning for broadcasters. If they provide signal decoders to an OTT platform like Waves, they could risk breaching the very conditions under which their downlinking permissions were granted.
For its part, Prasar Bharati’s Waves initiative is positioned as a step towards wider access and digital reach, bringing linear television into the streaming era. But critics say the move blurs the line between regulated broadcasting and largely unregulated streaming.
The matter is expected to come up before tdsat next week. The outcome could do more than settle a single dispute. It may help define how India regulates the fast-merging worlds of television and OTT, where the lines are getting fuzzier by the day and the stakes, sharper than ever.
