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Why DTH is getting delayed?
Nivedita Mookerji
New Delhi : A combination of four factors, it seems, has worked together todelay the government plans of issuing guidelines on the Direct-to-Home (DTH)TV service. Even as the Cabinet cleared the DTH draft way back in October2000 and the Information & Broadcasting Ministry was ready with theexhaustive norms by early January 2001, the government is yet to issue theDTH guidelines. Broadly speaking, the four reasons behind the delay inissuing DTH guidelines include the top-level changes in the I&B Ministry,time spent on the FTV controversy, law ministry seeking clarification onsome issues, and the government wanting to discuss the guidelines with keybroadcasters of the country.According to the I&B Minister, Ms Sushma Swaraj, the controversy over theFrench fashion channel FTV kept the officials in the ministry so busy in therecent days that there was no time left for DTH. It all began withmonitoring of the channel after the ministry received complaints of``obscene'' contents in it. The monitoring of the channel was followed by MsSwaraj meeting the French ambassador, a consultative committee meeting andthen a meeting of the I&B officials with the managing director of FTV. Butthe real reason, point out sources, behind the delay in issuing DTHguidelines is the top-level government changes. First, a new I&B secretary,Mr Pawan Chopra, took over after Mr Y N Chaturvedi retired from the post.Soon enough, there was another change: Mr Anil Baijal (also the PrasarBharati CEO) was appointed the new additional secretary, replacing Mr R RShah. As a result, the DTH files got held up at several levels, say sources.The third reason behind the delay is that the Law Ministry sought someclarifications on the regulatory clauses of DTH. It took the I&B Ministrysome time to issue the required clarifications. Finally and significantly,the government wanted to consult the top broadcasters of the country on theDTH norms before issuing the guidelines. So, even after the Law Ministry hadcleared the DTH guidelines, top broadcasters such as Mr Anil Baijal, CEO,Prasar Bharati; Mr Peter Mukerjea, CEO, Star (India); Mr R K Singh, CEO,Zee; and Mr Rajesh Pant, head of DTH, Sony Entertainment Television, metsenior I&B officials here on February 26 to deliberate on DTH. It is learnt that the broadcasters pressed for their demands once more.Their key demands included removal of the 20 per cent sectoral cap,deferring of revenue-sharing arrangement with the government and clarity onsome technical issues such as the set-top boxes. Till the time theseguidelines are issued, companies interested in participating in the DTHplatform cannot apply for a licence. Since it would take companies a minimumof one year, after getting a licence, to set up the DTH platform, a delay atthis stage could upset the plans of many prospective parties. Copyright © 2001 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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