A bill to digitalise cable TV was passed by Parliament today with the government saying it would be beneficial for all stakeholders, including consumers and cable operators.
The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2011, already passed by Lok Sabha, was adopted by Rajya Sabha today through voice vote.
Winding up the discussion on the bill, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said the measure aims at regulating cable operators and digitalising the analog TV network across the country in a phased manner by December 31, 2014.
She said the legislation would end the fight for more TRPs among channels to gain more advertisements.
"TRP is a bane of the TV programmes as it leads to showing of obscene materials and superstition. The bill will address this issue," Soni said.
The bill also gives the government the right to cancel licences of cable operators who flout rules, she said.
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Opposition members also supported the legislation, but expressed concerns and anger over the content of the various broadcasters, alleging that the programmes aired are sometimes "provocative and vulgar".
Addressing members' concerns regarding cost of set-top boxes and whether they would be indigenously manufactured or imported from China and South Korea, she said efforts are on to make these available at an affordable price of Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200.
Soni said her ministry was in talk with an association of manufacturers of set-top boxes to produce them indigenously.
"The prices of set-top boxes will fall. These will be available on instalments and rent. Also, viewers do not have to take a whole bouquet of channels. Trai will impose a tariff capping for subscribing to channels," she said.