Question : RATE OF PAY CHANNELS IN DTH SERVICES

(a) Whether the Government proposes to popularize DD Direct Plus Services of the Doordarshan across the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued any guidelines on content rate of Direct to Home (DTH) services in the area of Conditional Access System (CAS) and non-CAS also;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether majority of pay channel broadcasters are charging exorbitant rates from DTH companies;

(f) if so, whether the Government/TRAI proposes to take action against such broadcasters of pay channels; and

(g) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (DR.S.JAGATHRAKSHAKAN)

(a): Yes Sir.

(b): Doordarshan’s DTH Platform has capacity of 59 Standard Definition (SD) TV channels. A Plan scheme for upgradation of Doordarshan’s DTH platform to 97 TV channels has been approved by the Government. Prasar Bharati Board has recently approved further expansion of Doordarshan’s DTH platform to 150 channels.

(c) & (d): TRAI has issued the telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services (Fourth) (Addressable Systems) Tariff Order, 2010 Vide Gazette Notification No.11-14/2009-B&CS dated 21st July 2010 for all addressable platforms which includes DTH/ services.

As per Clause (4) of Tariff Order of TRAI mentioned above, the broadcasters are required to offer their pay channels to the operators of addressable platforms at a rate which shall not be more than thirty five percent of the rate of the corresponding channel, as specified by the broadcaster, for non-addressable systems. The channel rates (content rates) for the non-addressable systems have already been frozen by TRAI at the level as prevalent on 1st December, 2007 with inflation linked corrections prescribed from time to time. Subsequently, the said ceiling of thirty-five percent has been substituted by the figure of forty-two percent by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its Interim Order dated 18th April, 2011. Hence, as of now, a broadcaster of pay channel can charge a DTH service provider at a rate not exceeding forty-two percent of the corresponding channel rate in the non-addressable systems.

(e): No Sir.

(f) & (g): Does not arise.