BARC ratings: CNN-News18 tops English news genre

TV advertising stays strong; May’21 growth 64%: BARC

Ad volumes in May 2021 have witnessed a significant growth of 64% as compared to May 2020 and have remained at par with previous years, data released Thursday by Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC) revealed.

“2021 began on a high note for television Ad Volumes. Despite a...


Take guard against 5G signal interference: MIB tells DPOs

Cable TV rules amended; MIB to register self-regulatory bodies

India’s federal government on Thursday evening announced amendments in the Cable Television Network Rules to provide for a statutory mechanism to address content-related complaints on TV channels, which brings the broadcast sector self-regulatory mechanism at par with other sections of media like the print, advertisi...


TRAI issues discussion paper on mkt structure, competition in cable TV

TRAI launches TV channel selector portal

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Wednesday launched a TV channel selector web portal for consumers who are unable to access its mobile phone app of the same name due to lack of a smartphone.

The TV channel selector app for smartphone was launched on June 25 last ye...


MIB

MIB rejects news channels’ digital norms exemption plea

India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has rejected a request from traditional and legacy media companies with digital businesses to be exempt from the country’s newly-implemented digital regulations and has also refused an extension to the compliance period of 15 days given earlier.


Indian Railways gets 5 MHz spectrum in 700 MHz band

Indian Railways gets 5 MHz spectrum in 700 MHz band

With an aim to increase passengers safety and provide secure voice, video and data communication services for operational and security applications, a proposal was cleared to allot Indian Railways 5 MHz spectrum in 700 MHz band.

With this spectrum, the Indian Railways envisages to pr...


India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has said it suspended the registration of about 276 MSOs in April, though the reasons were not publicly outlined. However, the MIBs also stated that despite the latest action, the total number of MSOs in the country stood at 1761 at the end of April 2022. The number includes MSOs whose registrations were suspended. From the data put on the website of the Ministry, it is not clear whether the MSOs whose registrations got suspended could get back to delivering normal services as and when the objections raised by the government were addressed and anomalies in the registrations were rectified. A few of the suspended MSOs --- as highlighted by the MIB --- did change the structure of their companies from partnership to proprietorship entities. The list of suspended MSOs could be viewed on the MIB website at https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/files/List%20of%20Registered%20MSOs%20as%20on%2030.04.2022.pdf. There were four MSOs whose registrations were cancelled/surrendered during the month of April. The applications of Shivam Cable & Broadband Private Limited of East Medinipur in West Bengal and Gujrata State's Bhuj-based Rallyon Technology were rejected by the MIB owing to suppression of vital information. In March 2022 also MIB had rejected the application of two MSOs as they had withheld relevant information from the government. The registration of Panduranga Cable Network of Telengana was cancelled in April 2022 due to non-operation. Ditto for Karnataka’s RK Digital Cable TV Network. As per a government order of 2017, all registered MSOs, unless indicated in the registration order specifically, can operate anywhere in India.

Indian govt. bans Hope TV for a month

The Indian government has issued a stern warning to TV channel Hope TV for failing in its financial obligations towards licence fees and suspended the channel’s broadcast for a month. The government has also directed the distribution platforms to desist from carrying the offending channel on their networks failing which action could be taken ...