Govt forms panel on encryption of sports signals

New Delhi, Feb 8 (UNI) The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting today constituted a Joint Group of Experts to identify the technical parameters and propose a course of action for regulating the sports broadcasting signals.

The Group shall submit its report within one month from the date of its constitution.

According to the terms of reference of the Joint Group, it will look into the issue of encryption of DD signal being transmitted to regional/local Kendras for transmission terrestrially, and issues relating to free to air DTH of Prasar Bharati, or any other technical matter related to regulating sports broadcasting signals.

The Union Cabinet had last week approved the promulgation of an Ordinance making it mandatory for private broadcasters to share live feeds of sporting events of national importance with Prasar Bharati and directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to constitute a Joint Group of Experts for encryption of DD signals.

The ordinanace had been brought in after DD could not teleast live the first India-West Indies match following refusal of Nimbus Communication, the exclusive right holder for the event, to share its live signals with public broadcaster Prasar Bharati.

One of the grounds on which Nimbus refused live feeds was that DD signals were not encrypted and could be pirated.

The 12 member Joint Group of Experts will be headed by Mr Brijeshwar Singh, DG, AIR. Other Members are: K R P Verma, CMD, BECIL, A S Guin, Engineer-in-Chief, AIR/DD, L V Sharma, Chief Engineer, E S Issac, DD (Sports), Lalit Modi, Vice President, BCCI, I S Bindra, President, Punjab Cricket Association, H Rajshekaran, NIMBUS, Digvijay Singh, NIMBUS, R C Venkateish, MD, ESPN Software (India) Pvt Ltd and Jawahar Goel, Zee Sports.

Mr Rajat Bhargava, ADG (F&A) in All India Radio will be member-convener of the Group.

UNI