The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has granted new licences to 13 Multi-System Operators (MSOs) this year so far, taking the total number of registered MSOs to 1,763.
During this period, the Ministry cancelled the applications of seven entities, four of which failed to submit the requisite documents and three were disallowed due to suppression of vital information. One MSO surrendered the registration. MSOs are operators of multiple cable television systems.
The new licences have been given to Sky Media, Asiasat Channel and Consultancy India, Assistive Netspeed Technologies, SSCN Digital TV and Broadband, Raaga Communication, Digital Fusion Network, Grand Gumber Network, Swastika, Ganapati Digital Network, Inishia Media, Sai Namo Digital Cable Network (OPC), Dainik Savera News and Media Network and SGRA Satellite Cable Network.
Two provisional registrations have been granted to Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Corporation and Godfather Communication.
Through another order, on February 25, the Ministry had issued an advisory pointing out that MSOs were not furnishing the requisite logical channel numbers (LCN) data of the mandatory channels to Prasar Bharati in spite of several reminders. The Ministry has so far notified 25 Doordarshan channels, Sansad TV-SD, Sansad TV-HD and Sansad TV-Rajya Sabha channels that are to be mandatorily carried by every cable operator on their television networks.
The Ministry, in its order, asked the distribution platform operators and local cable operators to provide LCN data of the mandatory channels to the domestic distribution wing of Prasar Bharati on fortnightly basis. They were also advised that in case their contact details were not updated, necessary action would be taken against the defaulters.
