THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING(AMBIKA SONI)
(a) to (e) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF
LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.270 FOR ANSWER ON 8.12.2009
(a) & (b): Yes, Sir. A reference has been made by this Ministry to Telecom
Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in October 2009. Among other things,
TRAI has been requested to examine the maximum number of channels which
can be permitted in the country keeping in view the available spectrum and
transponder capacities as well as technological developments and general
practice internationally and to examine the eligibility criteria with regard to
financial viability and experience of the organization seeking permission.
Reply from TRAI is awaited.
(c) & (d): Yes Sir.TRAI had given a recommendation for raising the FDI limit in news & current
affairs TV channels to 49% from the present 26%. The matter has been referred back to TRAI
as to whether it would like to revisit its recommendations in the light of press notes 2 and
4 of 2009 issued by the Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion with regard to the
calculation of indirect foreign investment. The reply from TRAI is awaited.
(e): The Uplinking/Downlinking guidelines prescribe the criteria for foreign equity. As per
these guidelines, out of 512 private satellite TV channels which have been permitted so far,
233 TV channels have varying amount of foreign investment within the prescribed limit. The
list indicating the names of channels along with percentage of foreign equity therein as per
available records is Annexed. Since the Foreign Investment caps prescribed are composite caps
including both FDI and FII investments no further break-up is being maintained with regard to
the type of foreign investment within the cap.
