150 more TV channels entering India – I&B Ministry wants to cap numbers

Adding up the DD channels, India has more than 500 satellite TV channels already.And, not less than 140 new TV channels have already sought permission from Information and Broadcasting Ministry to uplink from India…. Some of the well known foreign channels pending approval are ESPN News and Al Jazeera International.In a country where 3G spectrum is not yet available for public use, how can we accommodate the growing number of TV channels ?… So, the government has asked the regulator TRAI whether there’s a need to cap the number of TV channels.I think, the rules for approving new TV channels are not stringent enough in India…. Should financial viability of the broadcaster be made more rigid so that entry becomes that much tougher;Should experience of the applicant in the media business be made mandatory for opening channels;What should be the maximum number of satellite channels that can be permitted;Should there be an amendment in the uplinking/downlinking clause?So, the final answer on limiting the number of TV channels lies in the hands of TRAI.