Government extends date for Electronics and IT goods registration for goods under testing in Labs

In partial modification of the Notification DietY No.8(14)/ 2006-IPHW Vol IV dated 20.03.2013, the government has notified on 02nd July that Manufacturing Units which have submitted the products for testing to the BIS recognized labs and were required to comply to the” Electronics and IT Goods(Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2012”, before July 3 2013, but test reports are not available, be granted an extension without any fee for 3 months wef 04.07.2013.

Tata, Harmonic cloud-based transcoding

Tata Communications has launched its cloud-based broadcast quality video transcoding and delivery service. The new content transformation service has already been selected by Viacom18, a joint venture between Viacom and the Network18, to provide HD content transcoding and delivery via the cloud. Developed in partnership with Harmonic, the service allows Viacom18 to maximise its return on investments made in creative programming and to tackle piracy by enabling simultaneous syndication play-out anywhere in the world.

The new service offers content creators, service providers and media professionals an integrated end-to-end workflow for moving content files to the cloud and transcoding them into broadcast quality formats ready for immediate delivery and transmission globally. This drastically reduces the delivery time compared with traditional solutions that rely on the physical transport of media.

Open House Discussion held on accreditation of rating agencies

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) held an open house discussion on 01 July 2013 on framing guidelines for an accreditation mechanism for TV rating agencies in the country. 

Open House Discussions with stake holders focused on whether there should be an external regulator for the rating agencies or whether the industry should deal with it on its own. 

Phase II of ad cap implemented from 01 July

Stating 01 July, viewers will see less number of ads on TV channels as broadcasters will implement phase II of ad caps as suggested by them to TRAI in following the 12 minute ad cap with effect from 01 October 2013.

From 01 July to 30 September the ad cap of 20 minutes on news channels and 16 minutes on general entertainment channels will be applicable.

Srinivasan may be questioned on broadcast rights to Star TV

BCCI president N Srinivasan is involved in another conflict of interest case. In fresh revelations just hours before the ICC meeting on finance and commercial affairs, former ICC and BCCI chief IS Bindra wrote a letter informing the world body about it. “I must mention here that Star, the current official broadcast partner, is also through one of its channels a sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings, the IPL team owned by a company controlled by Mr Srinivasan,” Bindra wrote.

The channel he mentions is Life OK that became the associate partner in April 2012, around the same time BCCI awarded the broadcast rights for matches in India to Star, the parent company of Life OK.

Big RTL Thrill to launch 3 new shows this monsoon season

Big RTL Thrill, the action channel from reliance broadcast available in dual Hindi and English feed, is all set to offer men an exciting line-up of new shows. The channel will present two internationally top-rated shows – ‘Hole in the Wall’ and ‘Wipeout’, along with the latest Season 7 of stunt-based reality show ‘Fear Factor’, a format that has caught the imagination of audiences across the globe.

Big RTL Thrill’s action fiesta began with the premiere of Hole in the Wall on July 1, 2013. The series features teams of participants who are required to contort their bodies into different shapes as they tackle a series of walls either individually or in teams. Next on the anvil will be Wipeout, slated to premiere on July 8. The show appeals to a wide cross-section of viewers with its inventive obstacle course designed to raise the level difficulty for contestants. Next up will be the launch of Fear Factor Season 7 which will kick off on July 15. The all-time popular stunt-based reality series hosted by Joe Rogan will see participants push themselves to the limit with never-seen-before stunts and dares.

News Corp.’s $139 Million Accord over Hacking Approved

News Corp. (NWSA), the media company headed by Rupert Murdoch, won approval of a $139 million settlement of investor lawsuits claiming directors ignored employee misconduct, including phone-hacking.

The settlement of claims that the board turned a blind eye to journalists’ illegal reporting tactics, including paying bribes and hacking into celebrities’ phones, “is reasonable, fair and adequate,” Delaware Chancery Court Judge John Noble said today at a hearing in Dover.