National broadcaster Doordarshan expects to officially launch digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) in the four metros of Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai by June.
According to Girish Chandra Rai, superintending engineer, Mumbai Doordarshan Kendra, currently transmission on DTT mode in New Delhi on an experimental has been on since the first week of April. Rai said the official launch of DTT services would only be made when all the four metros were deemed to be ready to start operations and not before.

Rai said the work of putting up transmitters had been completed in all four metros. Now all that was needed was to get the systems electronically integrated. Rai said the transmitters had been sourced from Japan while the encoders were purchased from the UK.

The project, which initially will cover just the four metros, is expected to cost Rs 300 million. Bangalore and Pune are next on the launch map, in addition to other cities, which are in the process of being identified. Rai said that DTT service would be launched with five channels DD1, DD2, DD Sports, DD Bharati and one regional DD channel (eg. in Mumbai it would be DD Sahyadri).

Rai said that DD was hoping that with private participation this number would go up finally to 15 to 20 channels.

Queried as to the cost of DTT set top box (or converter), Rai said what was available in the market currently varied between Rs 3,500 and Rs 5,000. When the poser was put to him as to why DD was looking at DTT at all considering the costs Rai said: "The world over they are talking of a total shutdown of analog by 2012." In India, it might take a while longer than that but it would happen, Rai said.

One thing that has been more than amply borne out in the communal conflagration that has engulfed Gujarat is that the government is speaking in different voices on the subject. Rejecting suggestions in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of parliament) that communal riots in Gujarat flared up because of media reports, information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj today asserted the government did not intend to exercise control over the press. Swaraj added the proposed convergence commission would keep an eye on the contents in the print and electronic media.

Responding to supplementaries during Question Hour, Swaraj said the government did not control the press and lauded the Press Council of India for performing the role of a regulator very efficiently, the Press Trust of India reported.

Stating that in situations involving communal flare up there were always diverse opinions on the impact of media reporting, she said the Press Council chairman issued three appeals to the media to ensure that their reporting did not add to the flaring up of communal passions and aggravate the situation in Gujarat.

To a supplementary raised by Rajiv Ranjan Singh "Lalan" (Samata Party) whether the freedom of press was above the freedom of the country, RJD member Premchand Gupta said the press should not be gagged.

Responding to their views, Swaraj said the freedom of press was definitely under the Constitutional framework and the Press Council was there to play the role of a regulator.

Swaraj said the proposal to have a broadcasting council and a media council had been dropped in view of the proposed convergence commission, which will have a content panel to keep an eye on the print and electronic media coverage.

The promoters of hit soap factory Balaji Telefilms, Jeetendra Kapoor and his family members, have offloaded 10.11 per cent of their equity to a group of foreign institutional investors, bringing down their stake in the company to 57.80 per cent, the company has confirmed.

Balaji Telefilms company secretary Ajay Patadia confirmed the stake sale but would not reveal the price paid per share in the offload. The only confirmation on this is that it is over Rs 600 per share.

A Reuters report, quoting market sources, said US-based Capital International was one of the buyers. Reuters also quoted Patadia as saying Singapore-based Alliance Capital was among the funds which have a big exposure to the company.

Meanwhile CNBC India, quoted Balaji chairman Jeetendra Kapoor as saying there would be no more divestment for the near term at least.