Us Cos Engage Global Research Units To Study Broadcast Bill

American broadcasters have commissioned a number of international research organisations, including Economist Intelligence Unit/IMA, to analyse the broadcast bill and compare it with legislations on broadcasting in other countries.

Broadcasters and media companies like Turner International, United International Holding, Sony Pictures and Motion Pictures Association, which have come together under the umbrella of American Business Council (ABC) in India, also want the non-American international media companies with interests in the country to join their ranks.

But, a key non-American international player in the country, the BBC, is keeping itself aloof. No feelers have come to us, neither are we interested at the moment to be part of any group or organisation, BBC sources said yesterday.

 

ABC sources clarified that no official request has been extended to non-American broadcasters. But, the thinking is to have a forum of international broadcasters, of which ABC can be a part, so that inclusion of non-American media companies can be made easy, the sources said.

This issue was discussed by the working group of the ABC broadcast committee at a meeting held last week. Also on the meetings agenda was a base paper on the broadcast bill which is expected to be finalised by early next week. The draft bill has been referred to a joint parliamentary committee headed by Sharad Pawar of the Congress.

According to ABC sources, some of the issues bothering international broadcasters include provisions on mandatory uplinking from India, cross-media and cross-service restrictions, a foreign equity cap of 49 percent and content control and its monitoring by the proposed Broadcast Authority of India.

American broadcasters would like to suggest to the government that, the current on-air channels should be exempted from going in for equity restructuring and get Indians as majority stakeholders. Laws coming into force with retrospective effect may create problems for many media companies which have already invested billions of dollars, the sources said.

The ABC sub-committee on broadcasting consists of GE International Operations Co Inc (owning CNBC and NBC), MGM Gold, Encore International Inc, MTV, ESPN India, Motion Picture Association of America, satellite operators PanamSat, Innerasia Consulting Group, Space Systems/Loral and Motion Pictures Association, News TV India Ltd (STAR TV), Turner International, Sony Pictures, The Discovery Channel and United International Holding.