The Cable TV Imbroglio
I heaved a huge sigh of relief on Saturday morning, when SCV brought TEN Sports feed directly to the cricket starved Chennaiites homes. At last instead of watching the boring Fourth umpire from DD, I could at last see the live feed from TEN Sports, with a better cricket presentation. Thanks to SCV, I was saying for the first time.
Next day, I am surprised to see the news that Cable networks service providers are to be taken over by the Tamil Nadu government. Already the Central and state governments in a bizarre move 2 years back ushered in the Set Top Box regime. It was brought in as a mock system, mocking at us. It was implemented only in Chennai. I could see my fellow Tamils, just beyond the borders of Chennai, being able to watch all channels through the regular means, whilst I sit here dependent on a Set Top Box. Getting a Set Top Box would have been feasible, if it was confirmed as a permanent set up, or at least if SUN TV would have been a pay channel. For the mothers of Chennai are happy to receive SUN TV alone and so, the set top box plans ran into rough weather at least for the young chennaiites.
We the chennaiites were used as lab rats or guinea pigs for an experiment that has failed to impress most Indians. Now this new Cable Network Act has really surprised me. Telecommunications, Broadcasting etc., come under the Central subjects I guess. I am still unable to make any sense from this move. Venturing into unexplored areas probably, but Venturing into closed territories seems strange.
The TN Govt says, it will take over the multi-system operators. The street level operators shall remain. And the reasons
1. Shielding and improper relay of some channels by the Multi-System Operators
2. Lackluster Response to public grievances
3. Higher charges being collected
4. Poor Service
And The Hindu, showed up a cable line hanging down on the ground as an example of the lackluster attitude of the Operators. ( Is this the mistake of SCV or the street level operator).
Shielding of some channels, politically motivated can be associated with the Multi-System operators true. And in this case SCV, being under the control of DMK, could well shield Jaya TV if it wants to. But, the rest of the complaints seem irrelevant. The response, charges, service are all at the level of the street operators. Now, they are being allowed their share of the pie as usual and the regime controls the multi-system operators alone.
Is the govt in anyway better in their response and service? Our roads are a fair indication of the response times of the government. And as far as providing some channels in inferior quality, I guess only the DD is telecast poorly, and I am not sure if this has anything to do with the service provider or with the DD Channel as such.
The viability of this act getting passed seems far less, given elections are due and the governor’s accent is required. If the governor returns this back without his assent, it cannot be passed on in time to be of any use to the govt.
But this surely has more to it, than just the political tangle. The Dravidian parties since its first foray into governance has always looked into publicizing of businesses. Annadurai, introduced the public transport corporation and the “TamilNadu Padanool Kazhagam” back in 1967. The Public transport system pushed out the Town buses and today we see that in most other districts private transport buses are back. Only Chennai remains an exception. And with books, you could easily reach a child’s mind. Successive governments have allowed political alliances to dictate what or who are the personalities to be taught to the children. History and Language books have been manhandled for political reasons.
I read somewhere that the Narendra modi govt in Gujarat imparts lessons glorifying Hitler and damning Gandhi. Now I don’t blame them. But the knowledge to children is restricted to this one dimension alone. The children are not provided with opportunities to learn someone glorifying Gandhi. Where in it would be better if just the government regulates, the governments have ended up taking charge.
Governments generally take over private enterprises either as earning opportunities, as in the case of the Transport system and the liquor shops, or as a political move as in the case of Books and the recent Cable TV network. In any case taking over pf private enterprises affects many people involved in those businesses and also reduces the options available to the common man. The government should be a facilitator and regulator of the public machinery, rather than taking up control of private ventures. Slowly, the business ventures of the youngsters are getting curtailed for fear of the property and businesses being taken away for political and macro economic reasons.
Next day, I am surprised to see the news that Cable networks service providers are to be taken over by the Tamil Nadu government. Already the Central and state governments in a bizarre move 2 years back ushered in the Set Top Box regime. It was brought in as a mock system, mocking at us. It was implemented only in Chennai. I could see my fellow Tamils, just beyond the borders of Chennai, being able to watch all channels through the regular means, whilst I sit here dependent on a Set Top Box. Getting a Set Top Box would have been feasible, if it was confirmed as a permanent set up, or at least if SUN TV would have been a pay channel. For the mothers of Chennai are happy to receive SUN TV alone and so, the set top box plans ran into rough weather at least for the young chennaiites.
We the chennaiites were used as lab rats or guinea pigs for an experiment that has failed to impress most Indians. Now this new Cable Network Act has really surprised me. Telecommunications, Broadcasting etc., come under the Central subjects I guess. I am still unable to make any sense from this move. Venturing into unexplored areas probably, but Venturing into closed territories seems strange.
The TN Govt says, it will take over the multi-system operators. The street level operators shall remain. And the reasons
1. Shielding and improper relay of some channels by the Multi-System Operators
2. Lackluster Response to public grievances
3. Higher charges being collected
4. Poor Service
And The Hindu, showed up a cable line hanging down on the ground as an example of the lackluster attitude of the Operators. ( Is this the mistake of SCV or the street level operator).
Shielding of some channels, politically motivated can be associated with the Multi-System operators true. And in this case SCV, being under the control of DMK, could well shield Jaya TV if it wants to. But, the rest of the complaints seem irrelevant. The response, charges, service are all at the level of the street operators. Now, they are being allowed their share of the pie as usual and the regime controls the multi-system operators alone.
Is the govt in anyway better in their response and service? Our roads are a fair indication of the response times of the government. And as far as providing some channels in inferior quality, I guess only the DD is telecast poorly, and I am not sure if this has anything to do with the service provider or with the DD Channel as such.
The viability of this act getting passed seems far less, given elections are due and the governor’s accent is required. If the governor returns this back without his assent, it cannot be passed on in time to be of any use to the govt.
But this surely has more to it, than just the political tangle. The Dravidian parties since its first foray into governance has always looked into publicizing of businesses. Annadurai, introduced the public transport corporation and the “TamilNadu Padanool Kazhagam” back in 1967. The Public transport system pushed out the Town buses and today we see that in most other districts private transport buses are back. Only Chennai remains an exception. And with books, you could easily reach a child’s mind. Successive governments have allowed political alliances to dictate what or who are the personalities to be taught to the children. History and Language books have been manhandled for political reasons.
I read somewhere that the Narendra modi govt in Gujarat imparts lessons glorifying Hitler and damning Gandhi. Now I don’t blame them. But the knowledge to children is restricted to this one dimension alone. The children are not provided with opportunities to learn someone glorifying Gandhi. Where in it would be better if just the government regulates, the governments have ended up taking charge.
Governments generally take over private enterprises either as earning opportunities, as in the case of the Transport system and the liquor shops, or as a political move as in the case of Books and the recent Cable TV network. In any case taking over pf private enterprises affects many people involved in those businesses and also reduces the options available to the common man. The government should be a facilitator and regulator of the public machinery, rather than taking up control of private ventures. Slowly, the business ventures of the youngsters are getting curtailed for fear of the property and businesses being taken away for political and macro economic reasons.
posted by Devanathan at 12:49 AM
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