Category: Industry

It provides the latest analysis, updates, and government policies of the industry.

BARC resumes audience ratings for TV news channels

BARC resumes audience ratings for TV news channels

BARC India has resumed the ratings for individual news channels with the release of data for Week 10, 2022. Following an industry-wide consultative process, the BARC Team, along with the BARC TechComm, developed the Augmented Data Reporting Standards for News and Special Interest genres, aligned with the Industry’s needs. As per these revi...

Comms minister admits RoW process hampered b’band rollout

Comms minister admits RoW process hampered b’band rollout

The Indian government has admitted that the process of getting Rights of Way (RoW) permissions is one of the few impediments to ramping up broadband penetration in the country, but added corrective steps are being taken.

India’s junior Minister for Communications Devusinh Chauhan sai...

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.

Action against TV channels taken as per rules: MIB in parliament

The Indian government on Tuesday in parliament justified orders banning or temporarily suspending TV news channels, saying proper procedures were followed while such orders were passed, even as the Supreme Court stayed, till further orders, a ban handed to Malayalam news channel MediaOne by the government.