[Satellite TODAY Insider 12-13-10] Asian broadcast industry leaders have agreed on proposals to urge India’s government to speed up the process of digitalizing the country’s pay-TV industry, the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) announced Dec. 10.
    The proposal, issued by a joint coalition comprised of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), MSO Alliance, News Broadcasters Association, DTH Association of India, IPTV India Forum, Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI) and CASBAA, suggests that the Indian government address digitalization, including broadband deployments in order to enhance transparency, ensure revenue flows, provide a basis for expanded consumer choice, increase the attractiveness of television to advertisers, and enhance the government’s ability to collect taxes.
    Speaking at the Addressable India 2010 convention in New Dehli, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman J.S. Sarma agreed with the coalition’s proposal and said that TRAI itself was “in a hurry” to shorten the digitalization timeframe. However, Sarma said the TRAI feels that regional industry leaders have pronounced differences in views in particular about revenue flows.  “We notice that each level of the industry — content suppliers, MSOs, last-mile operators — believes it is being robbed of its fair share. The transparency brought by digitalization would help reconcile competition and conflicting interests,” said Sarma. 
    Sarma also announced a proposed $13.3 billion investment by the Indian government to establish a nationwide fiber-optic network which could provide a backbone for digitalization by 2013. “The private sector should continue to provide last-mile consumer service. Tax incentives will help the industry make the huge investments necessary,” he said. 
    Also speaking at the event, Indian Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Raghu Menon, suggested a more cautious approach, with 2017 possibly a more reasonable timeframe for full cable digitalization in India. “This is a complex exercise, and we need to be practical. The ministry will consider other reforms, including pressing for changes in foreign investment caps, as proposed by TRAI,” he said. 
    The coalition of industry associations also proposed that the Indian government reduce its regulatory controls and let consumers decide how to develop India’s DTH growth. “There is a broad consensus among broadcasters. All sectors concur that full digitalization needs to come to India — and quickly. Where there is a real divergence of views is on the role of government, whether it needs to provide a guiding hand or just reduce controls and get out of the way,” CASBAA CEO Simon Twiston-Davies said in a statement.

Related Stories-

CASBAA Blasts Singapore Decision to End Pay-TV Content Exclusivity    Satellite Today   October 8, 2010
[Satellite TODAY Insider 10-08-10] The Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) sharply criticized regulations issued Oct. 7 by the Media Development Authority of Singapore that, in effect, end pay-TV content exclusivity in…

SkyVision CEO Not Excited by HD in Indonesia; Plans 3-D Launch in 2011    Satellite News   September 30, 2010
[Satellite News 09-30-10] While India and China remain two of the largest pay-TV empires in the Asian region, Indonesia, with its population of 230 million people and low penetration, represents an untapped broadcasting opportunity for satellite…

CASBAA Announces New Members in India   Satellite Today   July 27, 2010
[Satellite TODAY 07-27-10] Three Indian media companies have become members of the Cable & Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA), the organization announced July 26. The new corporate members are telecoms-to-media services…