The Hindu Business Line : Broadcasters told to announce pay channel rates by June 10

EVEN as the cable operators today announced that at least 45 channels would be available in the basic tier, the Government has asked broadcasters to specify which channels would remain pay and which would go free-to air (FTA) and announce prices of individual pay channels by June 10.

Government officials said that letters have already been sent out to broadcasters asking them to announce their rates as "this is an issue that has to be resolved quickly."

While the Government is likely to allow channels to make some commercial choices, it will not permit predatory pricing whereby channels will sell weak channels along with popular ones.

Meanwhile, cable operators and multi-system operators who met Government officials and the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Minister, Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad, to discuss the modalities of CAS implementation said that they would offer at least 45 channels in the basic tier and could even raise it to 70.

The operators said they could further raise the limit of free channels to 70 if the need arose. They also assured that they would not block any channel and give consumers the option. The service providers also said that they would embark on a public awareness campaign to educate the consumers on the benefits of CAS through various local channels and other such initiatives.

Later briefing newspersons, Mr Prasad said, "The Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the BJP President, Mr M. Venkaiah Naidu, have asked me to keep the consumer's interest in mind. On a daily basis, I am monitoring that. I want to assure all consumers that I shall ensure, that the new system is friendly to them as much as possible."

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