DD woos Murdoch for DTH future

The Government of India gave a few anxious moments to Rupert Murdoch’s Star News channel before finally giving it the green signal. It ...

The Government of India gave a few anxious moments to Rupert Murdoch’s Star News channel before finally giving it the green signal. It is his turn now, as the Government scampers to be on his digital BSkyB platform with plans for an April launch and Rs 7-crore of taxpayer’s money to back it.

The launch will have to wait, as officials have been told that obtaining licence will take time. More important, BSkyB has informed the Government about the long list of broadcasters clamouring to join the platform. In short, the process will take a while.All parties wanting to start DTH operations or intending to latch on to a DTH platform provider have to obtain a licence first.

But with an April launch in mind, the Government despatched senior officials to Mumbai to meet up with BSkyB executive Lesley Mackenzie yesterday.

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CEO of Prasar Bharati Corporation, K S Sarma, said, ‘‘We have been told getting the licence from the Federal Office of Communications will take time and there is a long queue of broadcasters waiting to join BSkyB. I have however, asked my officials to expedite the process.”

Sarma and a senior official in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry were in London early this year negotiating for a foothold on the digital platform.

Government had indicated it was willing to pay seven crores of taxpayer’s money to get Doordarshan News and Doordarshan India on the digital platform. As Sarma says to reach 1.6 million Indians in UK, it was essential to be on B-SkyB.Doordarshan’s two channels DD India and DD News will form a part of BSkyB’s family pack available for a subscription fee of $ 14. ‘‘Our channels will be made available at no extra cost to the viewer,’’ says Sarma.

It is with this in mind, that the Government has enlisted the services of solicitors Arlington Sharma who will be handling the negotiations on its behalf.

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