(a) whether certain important guidelines were issued on 11 November, 2005 under the Downlinking Policy;
(b) if so, the details thereof ;
(c) the details of metropolitan cities where the said guidelines have been implemented and the details of
difficulties faced in the implementation of the said guidelines ;
(d) whether the Government proposes to effect some changes in the said guidelines relating to the Downlinking
Policy; and
(e) if so, the details thereof ?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS ( SHRI P.R. DASMUNSI)
(a) : Yes, sir.
(b) : The downlinking guidelines require, inter-alia, that the entity applying for permission for downlinking a
channel, uplinked from abroad, (i.e. Applicant Company), must be a company registered in India under the Indian
Companies Act, 1956, irrespective of its equity structure, foreign ownership or management control; the applicant
company must have a commercial presence in India with its principal place of business in India; the applicant
company must either own the channel it wants to downlink for public viewing, or must enjoy, for the territory of
India, exclusive marketing/distribution rights for the same, inclusive of the rights to the advertising and subscription
revenues for the channel. The full text of the guidelines is available on the Ministry’s website (www.mib.nic.in).
(c) : These guidelines are applicable all over India. The cable operators/DTH operators can transmit/re-transmit only
those private TV channels which are permitted under the downlinking guidelines.The list of such channels is also
available on the Ministry’s website.
(d) : No, sir.
(e) : Does not arise.