The Hindu Business Line : Meet on pricing of channels tomorrow

THE broadcasters and multi-system operators are expected to meet officials in the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry on June 18 to finalise the pricing of various channels.

Sources in the Ministry said that there were several issues that had to be sorted out.

The broadcasters are yet to announce the price of various pay channels.

The Government has asked them to come out with details of which channels will be free-to-air and which others pay, rates of each pay channel and details about arrival of set-top boxes which would be required to access pay channels.

The Government is aiming at as ``painless'' a roll over as possible from July 15, they said.

Though the Government does not have specific figures about the demand and arrival of set-top boxes, Siticable claims to be in a position to provide six lakh boxes by July 15 and Hathway says it can make four lakh available.

Officials also said that the Government would not permit arbitrary price hikes of subscription fee after CAS has been implemented. "Government cannot be a silent spectator to arbitrary hikes," said an official.

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