I&B Ministry
MIB yet to clear 260 applications for new satellite TV channels
NEW DELHI: Even as India has a total of 830 private satellite television channels, as many as 260 applications are pending with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for grant of permission to operate TV channels.
As grant of permission is a continuous process, only cumulative data is maintained, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Col Rajyavardan Singh Rathore told the Parliament today.
While 37 channels including 11 news channels were permitted in 2012, the number of clearances came down to only seven in 2013 including four news channels. In 2014, a total of 45 channels were cleared including 14 news channels, while 42 channels were cleared until November-end this year, which included only three news channels.
Of the 830 channels, 398 channels are news and current affairs channels, the Minister said, adding that religious and sports channels are included in the non-news and current affairs category.
The Minister said that the MIB ensures regular monitoring of all the applications, regular follow up with concerned Ministries and Departments for obtaining clearances, and processing of applications according to the Citizens’ Charter.
I&B Ministry
AIDCF moves TDSAT over Waves plan to stream linear TV channels
Industry body flags regulatory gap as OTT push sparks broadcast turf war
NEW DELHI: The battle between traditional television distributors and digital platforms has found its way to the courts, with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Prasar Bharati’s latest OTT play.
At the heart of the dispute is Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, which has invited applications to onboard linear satellite TV channels. Aidcf, which represents multi-system operators (msos), argues that this move sidesteps existing broadcasting rules and risks tilting the playing field in favour of digital platforms.
The federation’s petition hinges on a key provision in the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. Clause 11(3)(f) allows broadcasters to downlink channels only if they provide signal decoders to recognised distribution platforms such as MSOS, DTH operators, hits operators and iptv platforms. OTT platforms, aidcf points out, do not feature on that list.
In simple terms, AIDCF’s argument is this: if OTT platforms are not officially recognised distributors, they should not be receiving broadcast signals in the first place. By inviting channels onto Waves, the federation claims, Prasar Bharati is opening a backdoor that lets broadcasters bypass long-standing rules.
The concern goes beyond legal interpretation. Aidcf says OTT platforms currently operate without a clear regulatory framework, allowing them to expand into traditional broadcasting territory without the compliance burden that cable and satellite operators must carry. That, it argues, creates an uneven contest.
There is also a warning for broadcasters. If they provide signal decoders to an OTT platform like Waves, they could risk breaching the very conditions under which their downlinking permissions were granted.
For its part, Prasar Bharati’s Waves initiative is positioned as a step towards wider access and digital reach, bringing linear television into the streaming era. But critics say the move blurs the line between regulated broadcasting and largely unregulated streaming.
The matter is expected to come up before tdsat next week. The outcome could do more than settle a single dispute. It may help define how India regulates the fast-merging worlds of television and OTT, where the lines are getting fuzzier by the day and the stakes, sharper than ever.
