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Tag: I&B secretary

  • The government has done its job, now it is up to the industry to make digitization work, said Uday Varma at the FICCI Frames 2012 session on Addressable Digitization.

    @FF12: Digitization – ball in industry’s court, says I&B secy

    By A Correspondent

     

    In December 2011, Parliament had passed a bill making analog cable switch to digitization in phases, starting June 30, 2012. FICCI Frames 2012, on day one held a session on ‘Addressable Digitization – The Way Forward.’ This session had two keynote speakers, Dr JS Sarma, Chairman, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and Uday K Varma, Secretary I&B (Information and Broadcasting), followed by a panel discussion. Almost everyone in the session agreed that digitization is now a reality and an important ingredient for India’s growth. Will digitization be a game changer? Is the industry is ready for digitization, what are the challenges and opportunities that digitization has to offer, and what’s in it for the consumers – these were some of the points raised during the session.

     

    The session was moderated by Vivek Couto, Executive Director, Media Partners Asia. The panelists were, Sanjay Gupta, COO Star India, Sunil Lulla, CEO and MD Times Global Broadcasting, Sameer Machanda, Founder DEN Networks and Punit Goenka, MD And CEO, Zee Entertainment Ltd.

     

    Mr Varma was of the view that since there has been no political opposition to the digitization of cable and the fact that the parliament too had passed the bill in December 2011 it is now upon the industry to make digitization a reality. Mr Varma was also quick to point out that as far as monitoring is concerned, the government has already set up mechanisms and task force as well as interest groups to address various concerns of the industry. “The progress of digitization must be a transparent process. There will be a mechanism that will be put in place to ensure transparency. We are certainly at the threshold of revolution. There are huge changes that will take place and these changes will certainly be beneficial changes especially on how we create contents.”

     

    Dr Sarma, who will be demitting office in two months time observed, “If India has to grow, digitization will be a vital ingredient for its growth and thus it is important that we be technologically updated. Digitization is here to stay and we need to embrace this change.”

     

    The panelists were of the view that not only the industry is ready for digitization but for some of them, it will be a game changer. While digitization will bring a lot of opportunities in terms of contents and niche channels, the industry will face some challenges too. According to Mr Machanda, digitization will be a game changer as it will bring transparency in the industry. “We are ready for digitization, we have the boxes, call centers are ready etc. I believe in the next few months we will see more momentum in the industry.”

     

    Taking issue with Mr Machanda, Mr Gupta was of the view that it was not digitization but providing democratization of content which would be the real game changer for the industry. “The big challenge however is to not carry our analog mindset in digitization. As a broadcaster we have not catered to different audiences, we must therefore unlock the value of creating differentiated contents” he said.

     

    Mr Goenka believed that digitization will not only encourage niche contents but, provide ample opportunities to provide good content and differentiated contents to consumers. Mr Lulla observed, “There is greater good in digitization. There is a lot of work the broadcasters have to do over the next few years as we will have to create pathways. What will however change is not the price of the business but, the view centric business wherein the consumers will decide what they want to watch and the price they want to pay for it.”

     

    The panelists also agreed that the industry is ready for change but it needs to educate and spread awareness about the benefits digitization has to offer consumers, such as more channels and differentiated content.

     

    Photograph: Fotocorp

  • Tasksheet for new Info and Broadcasting Secretary, Uday Kumar Varma

    The Anchor: 5 things new I&B secretary Uday Kumar Varma must do

    Pradyuman MaheshwariBy Pradyuman Maheshwari

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting finally has a full-time secretary. Like his predecssors Raghu Menon and Sushma Singh, guess Uday Kumar Varma will also be in office for around a couple of years before retirement. But he has had three stints with the ministry and from my little interaction with him, I can assure you that we have in the current secretary a man who knows the ministry inside-out.

    There’s a lot that a Secretary can achieve, if he or she has the will to do so. But of course there could be sensitivities in I&B, and if the eye is on what’s in store post-superannuation, then you can be sure that an I&B secretary will achieve precious little.

    Both Menon and Singh couldn’t or didn’t do much as Secretary. One hopes that Varmaji will do a lot more than his predecessors.

    Here’s a five-point tasklist.

    #1 Ensure new digitisation announcement is implemented on time.

    The sunset date is rather ambitious, but now that the collective wisdom of the bosses in Delhi have put out a policy, it’s the I&B Ministry’s responsibility to ensure it happens well-before time. Don’t get bullied by the lobbies

    #2 Must let self-regulators rule.

    The broadcastwallahs are still reeling under the scare of the government policy of not renewing channels if they fool around with the content and advertising code. Various media segments like news and non-news channels and creative agencies already have self-regulation in place. The print media too needs a regulator. While a nudge to these self-regulators may be needed to expedite decisions on erring content, but clearly there’s no place for government in policing the world.

    #3 Should ensure paid contentwallahs are punished.

    The elections are round the corner and it’s heartening to see the Election Commission get into action. But it’s the I&B ministry that must ensure that all those who indulge in paid content should be stripped off their RNI titles, government concessions and DAVP ads.

    #4 Push for news on FM Radio.

    There is no clear reason why there’s no news on FM Radio. The I&B minister once told me that there is a home ministry objection to news on FM, especially in the border districts. It’s one of the most bizarre reasons given especially since there are thousands of cable channels which abound across the country.

    #5 Empower government media — Doordarshan and All India Radio.

    Doordarshan’s 50-years celebrations are over and there was plenty of airtime and newsprint spent on what could be done to the two government media. Nothing happened. And nothing will. Unless Varmaji wakes up, empowers the staff and ensures quality content happens on both DD and AIR…

     

    This list of ‘must-do’s for Secretary Varma could be endless, but if he manages to take care of the five listed above,  he will forever be remembered as a secy who made a difference.