New Delhi, Jan 18: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has approached the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for its recommendations on regulating local cable TV channels that have mushroomed all over the country.
It has also asked TRAI if there was a need to put a cap on the total number of ground-based channels operated by a single multi-system operator/cable operator.
The I&B Ministry has said that instances have come to its notice that some cable operators are into transmission of local channels over wider geographical area and thus operating as state/regional/national channels like permitted private satellite TV channels without any permission.
In its reference, the Ministry has asked TRAI to examine whether there was a need to prescribe separate eligibility criteria for cable operators transmitting local news and current affairs channels at their level.
It has also sought TRAI's specific recommendations with regard to eligibility criteria, terms and conditions including foreign investment levels, net-worth criteria and requirement of security clearance for such channels.
The regulation of such local or ground-based channels operating at the level of Local Cable Operators (LCOs)/Multi System Operators (MSOs) has assumed significance in view of the digitisation of cable TV sector being implemented in the entire country in a phased time bound manner.
The I&B Ministry observed that such channels, popularly known as local channels, are currently not subject to a regulatory framework unlike private satellite TV channels permitted under its uplinking/downlinking guidelines.
“As a result, local channels continue to mushroom all over the country without having registration/license,” it said.
The Ministry has held that since the area/jurisdiction within which the programme generated at the level of cable operators can be transmitted has not been defined in the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, it is possible for LCOs/MSOs operating at the local levels to broadcast local channels over a larger geographical area by transmitting the same content over their entire network.
“Instances have been brought to the notice of the Ministry that some cable operators are also venturing into transmission of local channels over wider geographical area which includes inter-state and intra state transmission by sharing the same content with others on their network,” the Ministry said.
It further stated that the intent of allowing cable operators to generate and transmit local programme is to keep local people informed of relevant local issues, but this intent is not fulfilled when LCOs and MSOs start networking the content to cover a larger geographical area.
“Given the present state of technological advancement, the tendency to network content at a larger geographical area has gained strength,” the Ministry observed.
It has sought TRAI's recommendations on whether there is need to have a registration mechanism, including eligibility requirements, fee, terms and conditions to be provided for such channels, including the definition of local or ground based channels and their area of operation.
