Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation of India) appears to be unhappy with the degree of compliance (or lack of it) by cable operators regarding carriage of national broadcaster Doordarshan's channels on their feeds.

That would go some way in explaining an order issued yesterday demanding that cable operators carry DD channels on the prime band of their feeds or face the consequences. Especially since the order is just a restating of something already in place.

To reiterate:
As per the Cable Television Network(Regulation) Amendment Act 2000, it is mandatory for each cable operator to transmit, using only Satellite Signals, the following three Doordarshan Channels in the Prime Band: DD-1 (National ), DD-2 (Metro) Channel and regional language satellite channel of the state or DD (News & Current Affairs) Channel as notified in Gazette notifications dated 13th September, 2000 & 29th January, 2001.

Non-compliance, is a punishable offence. Viewers are advised to inform the district magistrate or sub-divisional magistrate or the commissioner of police or the head of local Doordarshan Kendras, if they do not receive the signals of the above channels on the prime band.

The prime band constitutes frequencies relating to channels falling in the Band I (Channels 2 to 4 ranging from 47 to 68 MHz) and Band III (Channels 5 to 12 ranging from 174 to 230 MHz) of electromagnetic spectrum, which are receivable by conventional TV sets without using add-on unit or special tuner.