PROTECTION OF CONSUMER INTERESTS ESSENTIAL WHILE DIGITALISATION
OF BROADCASTING
The Minister of Information
and Broadcasting, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that while
adopting new technologies like digitalisation in broadcasting,
interests of the consumers must not be lost sight of. He said,
we are entering an exciting period that will see the viewers having
access to video on demand, interactive broadcasting, internet
access and high quality television images at the same time. The
digital broadcasting allows more efficient use of bandwidth which
has allowed providing amazing service to the consumers.
Delivering the inaugural
address at the International Conference-cum Exhibition on Terrestrial
and Satellite Broadcasting, being organised by the Broadcast Engineering
Society (BES) here today, the Minister said that the transition
from analog to complete digital system must, however, have to
be carefully planned so that the first and foremost, the consumer
interest is not compromised. We will have to determine our standard
as per our requirements rather than following the available models,
he said.
The Minister
said that though there are about 1300 Doordarshan terrestrial
transmitters and also digital terrestrial transmission in addition
to about 100 satellite channels, yet the last mile reception of
any signal to the TV is in the analog mode. He cautioned that
the introduction of the Conditional Access System and later the
requirement of a digital Set-Top-Box for using the signals like
Internet, content, teletext etc. would involve high cost. Who
would share this cost? he asked.
Shri Prasad also
said that there is also a question of availability of Set-Top-Boxes
so that the consumer is not put to harassment or is not exposed
to exorbitant prices because of any shortage. Another issue in
this regard, the Minister said, is the investment that cable service
providers would need to make in order shift from analog distribution
to digital distribution. He said, since the benefits of digitalisation
shall be shared by all, the investment would also have to be shared.
We would have to think whether we need the shift immediately or
not, considering the factors like investment, the edge of development
of the rural clientele and their bandwidth requirement, the Minister
concluded.
In his keynote address,
Justice K.Jayachandra Reddy, Chairman, Press Council of India
said that Public Broadcasters have the responsibility of broadcasting
content to cover citizen of various creeds, and culture and broadcasting
must expose values which are not only industrial or commercial
but which aim for the benefit of society at large. He said that
the role of Doordarshan and All India Radio as Public Broadcasters
have to be viewed as an important instrument and an integral part
of the country’s efforts towards universal education, economic
development and social justice.
The three-day BES
EXPO-2003 with a theme ‘Digitalisation: Roadmap for Broadcasting’
is being attended by more than 600 delegates from India and abroad.
Various manufactures from the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan
and Australia will showcase their products in BES EXPO-2003.
