Govt to accept applications for new TV channels

Govt to accept applications for new TV channels

Insearchindia.com Team

(3 April 2010 4:10 pm)


NEW DELHI: Even as the government has decided to lift the ban
on accepting applications for new television channels, it is
learnt that a final license is unlikely to be issued until receipt
of the report of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on
availability of spectrum for new channels.

The decision of the government to revise its earlier ban of
18 January this year was taken after Trai informed the Information
and Broadcasting Ministry that it was unlikely to finalise its
report before June or July this year.

The government has decided to accept fresh applications from
1 April 2010 and process the fresh applications as well as the
applications already received under the existing provisions
contained in the Up linking and Down-linking Guidelines of 2005.

The Ministry has, however, said that while considering fresh
applications, it will take into consideration the financial viability
of the proposal as also the level of expertise and experience of
the personnel who will be charged with the responsibility of running
the channels by the promoters.

Meanwhile, it is learnt by insearchindia.com that the government
will wait for the Trai report before issuing a final letter of intent.

I&B Minister Ambika Soni had last year written to Trai on the increasing
number of TV channels in the country and sought to know details like
availability of spectrum and the criteria on which licences can be
given to ensure that only genuine broadcasters get them. Trai had
subsequently issued a consultation paper on the issue.

In its note of 18 January, the Ministry had said that “although
improved technologies
have resulted in better utilisation of the available spectrum and
transponder capacities, the spectrum and transponder capacities
for satellite TV channels are not unlimited.”

The total number of TV channels being beamed into Indian homes
from India and overseas is around 512 and almost 100 applications
are pending clearance.