Tell HN: Disenfranchising India's poor using digital television

The Indian Government has ordered the shutdown of all analog broadcasts in major Indian cities by March 31 and it is strongly encouraging consumers to subscribe to cable services and use set-top boxes to receive digital channels. Unlike in the United States, where consumers have the option to receive digital television using new antennas for OTA digital television signal, the Indian consumer is being offered no such alternatives. Most of middle and upper class India has no problems managing that additional cost, it is the India's poor who are being made to choose between eating and watching television and staying informed. It is interesting because India's television reporting is very hard hitting and even at times way too passionate. Could it be that not letting poor people watch TV news benefits the ruling class ? I admit that I am only visiting and I may not have the full picture . The only people I have who I have talked to who worry about this are the domestic help and the vegetable sellers ( they have TVs and cellphones) ; Indian hackers could provide more more accurate information here.