Multi-Channel Television: Poverty Amidst Plenty?

Four major factors have contributed to the phenomenal growth of multichannei television: the rapid advances in satellite broadcasting and related on-ground technologies, the consequent cost-reductions, the entrepreneurial drive that has fed to the amazing growth of cable and satellite TV infrastructure and the compelling attraction ofinteresting/ entertaining programming. This paper seeks to examine these and other related issues, more specifically in the Indian context, and make some suggestions for policy initiatives.