As the March 31 deadline for news channels to conform to uplinking guidelines approaches, the I&B ministry will seek Cabinet approval with a comprehensive policy for channels to beam into the country while extending the deadline once again.So far, the ministry has been giving three-month extensions to news channels to conform to the guidelines that put the foreign equity holding at 26 per cent. The ministry is also readying its downlinking policy to ensure conformity to the rules of the land for channels that uplink from outside India.The guidelines permit foreign equity holding including NRI/OCB/PIO up to 26 per cent. The ministry has circulated a paper to the ministry of communications, law ministry, home and finance ministries for their views on the subject.The ministry is also awaiting the response of the Department of Company Affairs (DCA) on the shareholders’ agreement related to the Star-Tata joint venture for DTH. Officials said all the queries posed by the ministry had been addressed to by the Star-TATA joint venture. “We wanted the DCA to look into the shareholding pattern because the DTH venture caps the FDI at 20 per cent,” sources in the ministry said.I&B seeks clarifications from Sun TelevisionNEW DELHI: The I&B ministry has also sought clarifications from Sun Television’s proposed Direct to Home (DTH) venture. It is learnt that the 100 per cent Indian venture from Kalanidhi Maran’s Sun TV, reached the ministry a few days ago. “It is a routine enquiry,” officials said. Approval is required from Home, Finance, Telecommunications and the Information and Broadcasting ministries to start DTH operations in the country.
