Could someone answer Jean Parker's question, whether WorldSpace's Africa service is being switched off as well, and whether the Asia service will continue to be available outside India? How about WorldSpace's 'free-to-air' channels like Asia Development? Would our friends from Equal Access know anything about this?
A year ago, apropos of the vast number of media regulations gathering dust Shastri Bhavan, I had written that "Satellite radio, familiar to many in India as WorldSpace, has been available here since 2001, while the policy to regulate it has been in orbit for nearly as long. "TRAI's recommendations on satellite radio [policy] were sent to the ministry in 2005, and the ministry's comments on TRAI's recommendations were sent back for further recommendations, and the ministry is now in the process of 'firming up its views' on TRAI's final comments. In the meantime, WorldSpace has gone bankrupt and it seems likely that its eight year old satellite will fall out of the sky long before the policy is firm enough to be announced." Well, the satellite hasn't fallen from the sky yet, but it's India beam will be switched off tonight. Looks like the Satellite Radio Policy, if ever it is notified, will be fairly unique in being a regulation with nothing to regulate. Sajan On Mon, Dec 28, 2009 at 1:52 PM, Barun Mitra <[email protected]> wrote: > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: jean parker <[email protected]> > Date: 2009/12/28 > Subject: Re: [cr-india] WorldSpace to stop service from New Year > To: Barun Mitra <[email protected]> > > > Well I never received any notice from Worldspace about discontinuing > service. Their customer service has never been very good, maybe that's why > they're bankrupt? > > Does anyone know if this effects the African service also? What about the > rest of Asia? Is there a way we can access the service directly like people > outside of India do? My understanding is that they just purchase a receiver > and they can get the channels for free. > > Jean > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > *From:* Barun Mitra <[email protected]> > *To:* Nishant | निशाँत <[email protected]> > *Cc:* [email protected] > *Sent:* Monday, December 28, 2009 12:39 PM > *Subject:* Re: [cr-india] WorldSpace to stop service from New Year > > I was one such who had a two year subscription till 2008, and never > received a renewal reminder. And on calling the company, I was told that due > to concerns about climate change, they had discontinued sending sales agents > or letter reminding / seeking renewal. So perhaps going belly-up is World > Space's contribution to climate change! > > It was said that 95% of the World Space's customers were in India. So, I am > really curious why the Indian business could not be viable on its own, if it > had such a large customer base? Would anyone on this forum have some clues > about the economics of satellite radio business? > Thanks. > > Happy new year to all. > > Barun > > > 2009/12/27 Nishant | निशाँत <[email protected]> > >> WorldSpace to stop service from New Year >> TNN 26 December 2009, 01:48am IST >> >> CHENNAI: It's sad news for radio listeners. Satellite radio WorldSpace >> will go silent in India from New Year. Broadcast of services would >> stop at midnight of Thursday (December 31). In a communication to its >> subscribers, WorldSpace said, "on December 31, 2009, the WorldSpace >> satellite radio broadcast service will be terminated for all customers >> serviced from India. This action is an outgrowth of the financial >> difficulties faced by WorldSpace India's parent company, WorldSpace, >> Inc, which has been under bankruptcy protection since October 2008." >> >> Company officials could not be reached. Customer support officials >> said, "we will go off air on December 31. As regards the fate of dues >> to you, we will send detailed email messages on how you should seek a >> refund. The company is in bad financial shape and has gone belly-up." >> >> ------------------------------ > > > > PLEASE JOIN THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM. MEMBERSHIP DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE AT > http://www.crforum.in/membership > > > > > > PLEASE JOIN THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM. MEMBERSHIP DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE AT > http://www.crforum.in/membership >
PLEASE JOIN THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM. MEMBERSHIP DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE AT http://www.crforum.in/membership
