News Broadcasting
Trai moots 100% foreign ownership in satellite radio
MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), today gave the green signal for 100 per cent foreign ownership in satellite radio services with no entry and licence fee for the time being.
In the recommendations, Trai said that it would desirable to provide a licensing framework now itself so that there is no uncertainty in the future.
The regulatory body also recommended that there shouldn’t be any entry fee unless there was an excess demand for the available spectrum space in which case tenders may be invited on the lines recommended for FM radio. It also said adding the Government should not levy any annual licence fee as long as terrestrial repeaters were not permitted.
Some of the major recommendations include:
Regulation and Monitoring
- There should be only one license for carriage and the licensee would be responsible to the licensor for content regulation.
- AIR Programme code and Advertisement code should be made applicable to Satellite Radio also.
- A common uplinking and downlinking policy should be evolved for both television and radio taking into account all aspects including security. This common policy should determine the uplinking policy for Satellite Radio also.
Licensing
- It would be desirable to provide a licensing framework now itself so that there is no uncertainty in the future.
- 100 per cent foreign ownership should be permitted, as already permitted to the only operator.
- There should not be any entry fee unless there is excess demand for the available spectrum space in which case tenders may be invited on the lines recommended for FM Radio.
- There should be no annual license fees as long as terrestrial repeaters are not permitted. Once these repeaters are permitted a revenue share of four per cent of gross revenue generated in India should be imposed as has already been recommended for FM radio.
Technical Considerations
- It should be mandatory for satellite radio operators to provide addressability to every subscriber, which is capable of blocking unwanted channel or group of channels.
- Initially, multi standard receivers which can be used with different transmission standards need not be mandated for potential satellite radio operators.
- A single license may be issued to provide satellite radio service and complementary terrestrial service to the potential service providers. This license should be issued to the Indian subsidiary only to ensure no legal complications in enforcing regulation and collection of license fees.
- The terrestrial repeaters should be permitted only for the re-broadcast of their signal from the satellite and should not be allowed to broadcast locally inserted programmes.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
