THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI C. M. JATUA)
(a) and (b) : Yes, Sir. The Government is in receipt of inputs regarding downlinking and
retransmission of unregistered satellite TV channels by cable operators in their network in
certain parts of the country. A foreign channel for getting registration under the downlinking
guidelines is required to pay a registration fee of Rs.5 lakh for registration for a period of
5 years. In addition an annual fee of Rs.1 lakh is also required to be paid. Further if the
company seeking registration of the channel is not a permitted company under the downlinking
guidelines then it is also required to pay an initial fees of Rs.5 lakh. Since the number of
channels getting illegally downlinked by cable operators is not known, no total figure with
regard to the total revenue loss can be given.
(c)& (d): The Authorised Officers under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995,
which include District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates and Commissioners of Police are
empowered to take action against the cable operators in case of carriage of unregistered
channels. The Ministry has been communicating with the State Governments for setting up of
State and District Level Monitoring Committees to ensure compliance of the provisions of the
Cable Act and the rules made thereunder. The Government on 7.10.2009 issued an advisory to
all authorized Multi System Operators and Cable Operators Associations to discontinue with
immediate effect transmission/re-transmission of illegal channels failing which action would
be taken. The Ministry also maintains an updated list of permitted/ registered channels on its
website for ease of reference by the authorized officers, multi system operators and cable
operators. The Government has, from time to time, issued instructions to the State Chief
Secretaries for ensuring proper implementation of the provisions of the Cable Act. Last such
instructions were issued on 27.1.2010 to the Chief Secretaries of the States in the context
of reports of illegal transmission of certain satellite TV channels. It was also requested in
the letter that all authorized officers be advised to conduct periodic checks on the basis of
list maintained by the Ministry as to whether the channels being carried in their jurisdiction
by cable operators are registered or not and take effective action in case of violations.
However, since action is taken at the level of authorized officers no such data with regard to
action taken has been maintained in the Ministry.