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In a board meeting, which was not attended by Foundation president
and Prasar Bharati CEO K S Sarma owing to an official visit to Srinagar,
a decision on the show cause notice issued to Sahara TV president
Mahesh Prasad was deferred till the next meeting of the IBF.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com on behalf of the IBF, ESPN India's
head Manu Sawhney said, "The IBF stands united, more than ever at
this juncture. We realise that all the members have a big role to
play in industry related issues, including the implementation of
CAS."
Sawhney also downplayed the discordant note that Sarma had struck
during a recent meeting with the parliamentary standing committee
on IT, telecom and convergence, where he had disagreed with an IBF
subcommittee view that CAS should be phased in and tried out in
one city before being deployed in all the metros as had been mandated
by the government.
"We are working collectively to address the (industry) issues proactively,
including those related to the consumers," Sawhney said. Though
he refused to comment on the Mahesh Prasad issue saying "it's an
internal matter," he did add that reduction of duty on the set top
boxes (needed for CAS) is one of the key issues for the IBF at the
moment for which the Foundation "would once again reinforce its
stand to the government."
Meanwhile, Sarma visited the Srinagar radio station in his capacity
as the CEO of Prasar Bharati to review the situation after militants
had struck there.
Sarma also appreciated All India Radio station director Rafeeq
Masoodi and his staff for making it possible to run the station
without any disruption despite a fierce gun battle being fought
outside the premises.
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