Good to see this happening…
** Wireless TV technology licence bids accepted **
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Tuesday awarded two licences for the most advanced and latest technology of Direct To Home (DTH), satellite based television channels to Cross Currents (Pvt) Limited being the highest bidder followed by ARY Communications after matching its bid with the highest bid through an open and transparent bidding process.
Chairman Pemra Mian Muhammad Javed, Member Pemra Saleem Gul and representatives of a number of media channels were present at the opening of bids here at the Pemra Headquarter.
Cross Currents (Pvt) Ltd offered the maximum bid of Rs 250 million while ARY Communications quoted Rs 192.500 million but under the rules, the ARY matched the highest bid of Rs 250 million and qualified for first two DTH channels rights in Pakistan.
Chairman Pemra Mian Muhammad Javed, congratulating the successful bidders, said the DTH would bring a revolution in the country with maximum possible expansion of TV viewers. He said cable network is available for only four million houses while PTV could reach about 85 per cent of the area whereas the DTH will reach every nook and corner of the country.
He said the latest technology of DTH would provide a chance to every individual living even in remote areas of mountainous regions and vast plain fields to enjoy TV transmission without any trouble in accordance with purely national and Islamic ethics and norms. Javed said awarding two licences of modern and high-tech technology of DTH, the Pemra has provided a base to the country to bring communication revolution.
He said these licences are being given in accordance with liberal media policy of the government to encourage the private sector to play their due role to educate and create awareness among the masses while using this latest technology.
The Pemra chairman said the successful bidders would be able to make a bouquet of 50 to 250 channels approved by Pemra under its code of ethics so that the whole family could watch these channels without any hesitation.
Explaining the process of bid, he said, it was open and transparent and Pemra received 11 applications and one was rejected during the process of pre-qualification while out of the remaining 10 four companies participated in the bid which were opened in the presence of all bidders today. The two highest bidders, Cross Currents and ARY Communications would be awarded licences to operate DTH channel after the formal approval by the Pemra with in couple of days and they will be able to start functioning soon.
Crescent Business Management Limited offered the bid of Rs 186.66 million while Sachal Satellite Communication quoted the bid for Rs 70.33 million.
Under this DTH technology, any one can tune in a large number of national and international channel by installation of small dish of one to 1.5 feet. The transmission through DTH technology will be crystal clear and without any interruption due to weather and electricity failure. Unlike the cable transmission that is being provided through wires causing problems sometimes in smooth transmission, the DTH will transmit signals directly to the houses through satellite. The cost of setting up a DTH system will be approximately Rs 3 billion.
Mian Javed said that private sector through the help of DTH would be able to play important role in Pakistan’s economy, development and improvement especially in the field of media.
He said the Pemra which was established last year has successfully awarded licences through open bidding for private TV channels and added that in the next coming weeks, the Pemra would introduce more modern and new technology for the private sector.
The Pemra chairman said DTH has the potential to reach to 145 million population of the country. He said the successful bidders would be major players in promoting good performance as there is no limit in DTH. He said the DTH would also cover many neighbouring countries taking advantage of satellite.
Javed said government is sincere and keen to promote electronic media and to ensure its freedom. He said Pakistan is being placed among those countries where the media especially the electronic media has been enjoying freedom. He hoped that electronic media would be in a position to create awareness among the masses about education, health, development and other subjects.
Mian Javed said Pemra would ensure implementation of code of ethics for all channel operators including DTH.
Referring to the importance of DTH, he said, Pemra has conducted its survey and found that DTH is a feasible project. The chairman said awarding licences of DTH is a milestone in Pakistan’s electronic history and it is a major development in the country.
Representative of Cross Currents (Pvt) Ltd, one of the successful and highest bidders, giving his remarks appreciated the policies of President General Pervez Musharraf to provide liberal policies for media. He also highlighted the efforts of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali to continue these policies for the benefit and promotion of media especially the electronic media.
He also appreciated the role of Pemra in promoting the electronic media and hoped that their cooperation would improve the electronic media. He said DTH service would be available everywhere without any problems and any one living in any city, village, town or area would be able to receive the signals through DTH.
He said through DTH the whole of Pakistan and a number of neighbouring countries will be able to enjoy TV transmission and can watch the channels of their own choice.
Owner of ARY Communications, appreciating the role of Pemra, said DTH will provide quality programmes according to the rules and regulations based on the ethics of Pemra so that all the members of the family could watch these programmes together.
He said it would increase the base of TV viewership and provide a chance to the viewers even in remote areas to watch the programmes of their own choice. The DTH, he said, would bring a revolution in the field of electronic media by providing a chance to every individual to have access to TV. He said it would also increase job opportunities along with the business. He said it was already successfully functioning in Europe and would be a successful technology in Pakistan.
**DTH set to take off in Pakistan on 1 January 2004 **
(8 December 2003 6:00 pm)
MUMBAI: ** While Zee continues to meander in soft launch terrain and Star’s Space TV is up in the air, it may well be India’s not-so-friendly neighbour Pakistan where one will see a full-blown launch of DTH. **
The targeted date for launch is reportedly 1 January 2004.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on 25 November awarded two DTH licences to Cross Currents (Pvt) Limited (the highest bidder) and ARY Communications which matched its bid with the highest bid through an open bidding process, Pakistan’s The News reported recently.
Cross Currents offered the maximum bid of Pak Rs 250 million while ARY Communications quoted Pak Rs 192.500 million but under the rules, the ARY matched the highest bid of Pak Rs 250 million and qualified for first two DTH channels rights in Pakistan.
Pemra chairman Mian Muhammad Javed was quoted by The News as saying, “DTH would bring a revolution in the country with maximum possible expansion of TV viewers. Cable network is available to only four million houses while PTV could reach about 85 per cent of the area whereas the DTH will reach every nook and corner of the country.”
Interestingly, Javed had said in a speech on 22 November, “The DTH licences are being issued at the right time, as the neighbouring country (India) has also started this service,” adding that if “we don’t start the service now, the DTH of our neighbour will flourish in Pakistan.”
While Pakistan’s DTH platforms can carry anywhere between 50 to 250 channels, Pemra clearance under its code of ethics will be needed for each channel in the bouquet.
This is significant because when it was announced that ARY was also in the running for the licence, queries were raised. One referred to an article in The Washington Post in which ARY was reported as having links with al-Qaeda and Taliban, and that the FBI was probing the matter. ARY was also accused of telecasting “substandard and obscene programmes” produced out of India and Pakistan.
According to industry sources, the man who is advising ARY in its DTH project is the Dubai-based Arab Digital Distribution’s (ADD) CEO Dr. John Tyderman. The Pehla platform, which targets subcontinent viewers, is part of ADD.
http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k3/dec/dec90.htm