I&B Ministry
MIB seeks details to simply forex payments for broadcasters, teleport ops
MUMBAI: In what it says is aimed at further easing norms for doing broadcast business, the government has asked for particulars from TV channels and teleport operators using services of foreign satellites for uplinking and temporary uplinking so payment of foreign exchange processes could be simplified.
Broadcasters need to provide the name of the company, name of the service provider, name of the country of the service provider, purpose for bandwidth utilization, service order number and validity of agreement, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a recent advisory.
In 2014, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) advised all broadcast companies and teleport operators to strictly follow the guidelines under the provisions of the FEMA Act 1999 and a notice by the RBI requiring prior approval of the MIB for making remittance of foreign exchange towards availing transponder services on foreign satellite for up-linking of TV channels/teleport services/DSNG operations/temporary events.
The TRAI has also urged (http://www.indiantelevision.com/regulators/trai/trai-releases-recommendations-on-easing-broadcast-business-180226) the government to simplify the norms regarding licensing and clearance processes for broadcast companies. It even suggested that satellite spectrum allocation must be done through the year for the convenience of broadcasters.
It asked for streamlining of process for granting permission, giving security clearances within 60 days and setting up an integrated portal for everyone’s convenience.
Late last year, the ministry had asked TRAI (http://www.indiantelevision.com/regulators/trai/trai-paper-seeks-to-streamline-uplinking-downlinking-norms-171219 )to come up with a new set of rules for uplinking and downlinking norms since the previous one was six years old and technological advances have changed the broadcast sector. One of the key questions was whether there was a need to redefine the meaning of news and current affairs and non-news channels.
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.
