Cable operators seek police protection

Fear law and order problem and protests by consumers not able to afford set-top boxes under the digitisation schedule

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BestMediaInfo Bureau
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Cable operators seek police protection

Fear law and order problem and protests by consumers not able to afford set-top boxes under the digitisation schedule 

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 11, 2012

publive-imageThe West Delhi Cable Operators Association has requested the Minister for Information & Broadcasting to provide police protection in their offices and areas covered by them in view of mandatory digitalization by October 31, 2012. They have expressed fears that those consumers who cannot afford to buy the mandated STBs (set-top box) and pay two to three times for the channels they watch at present, may react violently and damage equipment and create law and order problems.

In a letter written to the I&B Minister on October 7, 2012, the association has said that “the Ministry of I&B along with IBF (Indian Broadcasting Foundation), NBA (News Broadcasters Association), DTH operators, MSO Alliance and MSO (I) have taken a decision to switch off analogue cable TV channels progressively for a short time every day from October 10, 2012, onwards to induce consumers to buy STBs and speed up digitalisation. Also, the Minister said that the deadline of October 31, 2012 for final switch-off in the four Metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai will not be postponed.

“We, the last mile cable operators, will find it very difficult to deal with lakhs of consumers as:

  1. Many consumers will not receive all channels which they have been watching till now
  2. Will have to pay two to three times more to watch the same channels after November 1, 2012
  3. There will be many who will not be able to watch cable TV because they cannot afford government mandated digital cable
  4. Jhuggi Jhopri clusters and low income areas consumers may have to go without cable TV entertainment.”

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

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