[cr-india] TRAI's draft Satellite Radio Policy

[sajan venniyoor]

TRAI has released its draft Satellite Radio Policy for
consultation.<http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/PressReleases/574/pr19may08no51.pdf>

According to the draft policy, other than non-news channels, satellite radio
service providers will be able to carry only All India Radio's news
programmes on their service. ("5.1.(ii) The news broadcast of All India
Radio (AIR) as mutually agreed between the service provider/radio channel
and AIR"). At present, WorldSpace carries BBC, CNN, Fox News, Bloomberg and
NDTV news channels, all of which will banned when the new policy comes into
effect.

This doesn't bode well for Community Radio either. For the third Phase of FM
licensing, TRAI had recommended that only AIR & DD News, and news from
authorised News Agencies and TV channels would be allowed on private FM
channels. It now looks as though only AIR news will be permitted on private
radio, period.

Sajan

The draft Satellite Radio Policy is available here -
http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/PressReleases/574/draft19may08.pdf.
According to TRAI's Press Release, comments on the draft satellite radio
policy may be offered by 26 May 2006 -
http://www.trai.gov.in/trai/upload/PressReleases/574/pr19may08no51.pdf

*
TRAI initiates work on satellite radio policy*
Business Standard / New Delhi May 20, 2008

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today initiated the
consultation process on draft satellite radio policy as proposed by the
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B). The satellite radio policy
will lay the ground rules for the companies to operate the satellite radio
services in the country. Currently, there are no regulations for the
satellite radio industry.

Apart from suggesting separate licensing requirements for satellite radio
service —licence for providing the satellite radio service for carriage and
broadcasting of channels and licensee to get registration for satellite
radio channels — Trai has also suggested a 74 per cent cap on the foreign
investments, in line with the FDI policy for the telecom sector.

Currently, a 24 per cent FDI cap in the FM radio sector is being considered
against a demand for at least 26 per cent. The last date for responding to
the satellite radio draft policy is May 26.

The draft satellite radio policy guidelines permit a satellite radio service
provider to hold the licence for the registration of satellite radio
channels also. The draft policy guidelines cover eligibility criteria,
period of licence, entry fee and annual licence fee, bank guarantee,
technical standards, monitoring, inspection, value-added services,
terrestrial repeaters, termination of licence, WPC wing's licence, among
others.

Trai had initially brought out a consultation paper on issues relating to
satellite radio services way back in December 2004 and had sent its
recommendations in the matter to the government in June 2005.

But the I&B ministry, while accepting the Trai recommendations, suggested
some modifications because of which Trai has again initiated the process.

http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=3&autono=323510
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