FIIs can own 26% in news channels, Sharing with DD Fit
Kishore Sharma - Televisionpoint.com
The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has allowed foreign institution investors, FIIs to own about 26 per cent in news and current affairs channels, it is recalled that previously the government allowed only 26 % of the paid-up equity was allowed in only for FDI and NRI investments, but now FIIs are also allowed.
This step is strongly welcomed by the Industry and is taken as a step forward to promote the news channels in India. According to the new policy draft of uplinking and downlinking, television channels are allowed to uplink in Ku Band through Indian satellites subject to written terms and condition framed and that the permission is not used to run/operate DTH service without licence.
S Jaipal Reddy, Information and Broadcasting Minister also said that the downlinking guidelines are set to provide better regulation of satellite channels uplinked from abroad and down linked in India. According to him it will provide a mechanism to check the antecedents and also to verify the legitimacy of the owners or distributors.
It also informs that the foreign news channels will be allowed up to one year at a time for temporary uplinking through a pre-designated teleport. With regard of sports events of national interest, the sports channels and the sports rights management companies having broadcasting rights will have to share their feed with Prasar Bharati. A 75:25 revenue-sharing formula in favor of the rights holders without any minimum guarantee or opportunity costs will be applicable. As regards cricket, the new guidelines will be applicable in all future events including those governed by existing contracts.
The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has made it mandatory for private sports channels to share their live footage with Prasar Bharati, altogether the Cabinet discussed 17 items. The private channel, which holds the rights have to share feed for all matches featuring India and finals and semifinals of international importance even before the new guidelines are notified.
Even as the Prasar Bharati shall transmit the feed, free to air, on its terrestrials channel that is carried through the terrestrial network or satellite or DTH mode, the marketing of the rights of the events are to be negotiated between the Prasar Bharati and the rights holder. The marketing rights shall go to the party that offers to maximise the revenue.
Meanwhile also in an unprecedented move, the International Cricket Council has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking for preferential treatment in securing broadcast rights for telecasting international matches in India. "The ICC today confirmed that it had written to the Indian Prime Minister, DR Manmohan Singh, ahead of today's cabinet meeting concerning moves to give Indian terrestrial television preferential treatment in securing the broadcast rights to telecast international cricket in India," the ICC said.
The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has allowed foreign institution investors, FIIs to own about 26 per cent in news and current affairs channels, it is recalled that previously the government allowed only 26 % of the paid-up equity was allowed in only for FDI and NRI investments, but now FIIs are also allowed.
This step is strongly welcomed by the Industry and is taken as a step forward to promote the news channels in India. According to the new policy draft of uplinking and downlinking, television channels are allowed to uplink in Ku Band through Indian satellites subject to written terms and condition framed and that the permission is not used to run/operate DTH service without licence.
S Jaipal Reddy, Information and Broadcasting Minister also said that the downlinking guidelines are set to provide better regulation of satellite channels uplinked from abroad and down linked in India. According to him it will provide a mechanism to check the antecedents and also to verify the legitimacy of the owners or distributors.
It also informs that the foreign news channels will be allowed up to one year at a time for temporary uplinking through a pre-designated teleport. With regard of sports events of national interest, the sports channels and the sports rights management companies having broadcasting rights will have to share their feed with Prasar Bharati. A 75:25 revenue-sharing formula in favor of the rights holders without any minimum guarantee or opportunity costs will be applicable. As regards cricket, the new guidelines will be applicable in all future events including those governed by existing contracts.
The Information & Broadcasting Ministry has made it mandatory for private sports channels to share their live footage with Prasar Bharati, altogether the Cabinet discussed 17 items. The private channel, which holds the rights have to share feed for all matches featuring India and finals and semifinals of international importance even before the new guidelines are notified.
Even as the Prasar Bharati shall transmit the feed, free to air, on its terrestrials channel that is carried through the terrestrial network or satellite or DTH mode, the marketing of the rights of the events are to be negotiated between the Prasar Bharati and the rights holder. The marketing rights shall go to the party that offers to maximise the revenue.
Meanwhile also in an unprecedented move, the International Cricket Council has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking for preferential treatment in securing broadcast rights for telecasting international matches in India. "The ICC today confirmed that it had written to the Indian Prime Minister, DR Manmohan Singh, ahead of today's cabinet meeting concerning moves to give Indian terrestrial television preferential treatment in securing the broadcast rights to telecast international cricket in India," the ICC said.
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