Cable operators rewarded
hmad Noorani
ISLAMABAD: The government on Monday night announced a mega package for the cable operators. At a late night meeting between the cable operators and Federal Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, the tariff on in-house CD channels was cut in half, the fee Pemra charges from the operators was reduced and per subscriber surcharge was cut by 50 per cent.
Dr Firdous announced that presently a fee of Rs12 per subscriber per annum was being charged from the cable operators, which would now be cut to only Rs6 per subscriber per annum.
Some media experts fear that the government move was in fact start of preparations for taming the TV channels in favour of the PPP and against the top judiciary. They revealed that TV channels, which would not follow instructions of the government in letter and spirit, would face the wrath and cable operators would be pressurised and used to freeze the signals of all the news channels or their associate channels that would air anything adverse to the PPP or its corruption.
But the cable operators have said that they could neither be pressurised nor used illegally. They said they would operate in accordance with the law. It should be remembered that there were some differences between Geo Network and cable operators and allegations were levelled by both the sides. The ruling party and the government also issued statements against the Jang Group. Geo Network constantly said that the government officials were harassing them by pressuring the cable operators. The cable operators and the government, however, denied any such move.
Source: The News
Date:4/12/2011
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