Hundreds of multi-system operators (MSOs), or cable TV operators, have not yet complied with all of the terms and situations for his or her registration as laid down by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
According to the newest checklist launched by MIB, there are just a little over 1,700 operators and amongst them, about 230 are compliant. The registration of greater than 250 MSOs, that are non-compliant, stays suspended.
Taking cognisance of the matter, the Ministry had issued an advisory in March asking the registered broadcasters to enter into recent inter-connection or renewal agreements with solely these MSOs whose standing was “compliant”. The Ministry determined to mark as “non-compliant” all of the operators that had failed to adhere to the terms and situations of registration.
The recorded violations included contravention of audit rules, non-furnishing of data to the Ministry and non-intimation of change of director or shareholder.
The Ministry had earlier mentioned that if a broadcaster already had an settlement with a non-compliant MSO, it was required to contact the operator and ask the corporate to get the standing modified. As mandated underneath the inter-connection regulation issued by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), a broadcaster is required to signal an settlement with the distributor of TV channels for offering indicators on a non-discriminatory foundation.
In the March advisory, the Ministry had taken observe of the suggestions from broadcasters concerning the points associated to “under-reporting” of subscriber base and non-compliance to the TRAI’s audit regulation by cable operators, leading to loss of income to them.
“The Inter-connection Regulations 2017 issued by TRAI mandates that every distributor of television channels, once in a calendar year, shall cause audit of its subscriber management system, conditional access system and other related systems by an auditor to verify that the monthly subscription reports made available by the distributor to the broadcasters are complete, true and correct,” the advisory mentioned.
The rules additionally prolong an choice to the broadcasters to get audited the techniques utilized by the distributors of TV channels, if they’re not glad with the audit report.
As mandatory underneath the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act and related guidelines, the I&B Ministry had beforehand ordered the MSOs to present all of the related particulars by way of its Digital India portal. “It has been observed that despite the above mechanisms being in place, the response of the majority of MSOs has not been satisfactory. Despite providing ample opportunities, many of them failed to get registered on Digital India portal and furnish the information on the portal,” the advisory had mentioned.
