Hyderabad: Operators claimed that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is in favour of their plans to set up an MSO on their own and its plan would materialise soon. Home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, whose son runs a cable TV network in Barkatpura area in partnership with others for several years, is said to be leading the operators in setting up MSOs and taking their issues to the notice of the Chief Minister.
“The high-handedness of existing MSOs has left us with no option but to set up our own MSO. In fact, the CM himself had asked us to set up our own MSO instead of depending on other private MSOs and coming to government for help whenever they trouble us. He also extended full government support for us in setting up MSOs,” said M. Jithender, president, TS Cable TV Operators Welfare Association.
He said the cable TV industry has been providing employment to about 30,000 operators directly and indirect employment to another one lakh in Telangana for the past 25 years and their livelihood was at stake now.
“The existing MSOs are trying to cut out cable TV operators from the system altogether by increasing charges on operators sharply, which we cannot afford,” he added.
When contacted, Mr Narasimha Reddy said setting up an own MSO was only to provide cable TV services at affordable rates for common people and the government had no intention to control any TV channels.
“Cable TV primarily caters to the needs of poor. Those who can afford anyway opt for costly DTH. But after private MSOs came into the picture between broadcasters and operators, the cable TV, too, has been becoming costlier and unaffordable for the poor. If operators themselves set up MSO, these problems can be resolved. There is nothing wrong in operators setting up own MSO or government supporting them on this since the cable TV industry provides livelihood to lakhs in the state,” Mr Reddy said.
