Now Government of India has decided to block its signals in India because it is not applied for DTH license from MIB. Yes it is okay, ABS2 should apply for DTH license before distributing its signals and TV contents in India.
But now thousands of rural area household are using it because ABS satellite is broadcasting mainly regional TV channel from South and East India which is unavailable in DD Freedish dth.
Did you think why regional TV channels not participating in DD Freedish e-auction?? I think due its yearly subscription fees because regional TV channels are limited to state borders or on its local language. These TV channels are not earning too much as national channels so maybe they are not able to pay DD Free dish annual subscription; which is growing every year and in every e-auctions. Now its bidding price has been reached from 1 Crore to 8 Crore per annually.
And in other side lots of C-Band satellites coverage available in Indian beam and all are broadcasting many foreign TV channels.
In recent years Government has banned Madani Channel, Peace TV, Saudi TV, QTV, P TV, Geo TV because these channels are broadcasting hate speeches in Indian beams. Here banned means no any cable / DTH operators allow to distribute these channels over the cable network. But still lots of Indian families are watching these channels by using internet & C-Band dish antenna.
It was also not clear whether anyone found watching these channels using a C-Band dish antenna or internet could be prosecuted under Indian laws.
So I think blocking the signal of ABS2 signals across India, it may be difficult for DoS (Department of Space) as it would require very advanced technology. Government should find a middle way for extra option in FTA TV.
So if ABS2 satellite agrees to take license from MIB then it is better options for rural India because they may have options in FTA TV. At this time only public broadcaster DD Freedish are available for FTA broadcasting. But DD Freedish not has good numbers in regional TV channels.
so let’s see what happens but I think there should be an extra option for FTA TV channels for rural and poor families because if PAY TV have 6 DTH operators then why FTA TV only one ? And everybody knows that FTA TV (DTH) has lots of views then Pay TV (DTH).
By Pradeep Tomar for DTHNews Blog.
