I&B Ministry
Broadcasters and teleports asked to update contact info, again
NEW DELHI: A fortnight ago, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry had asked the broadcasters and teleport operators to provide full details relating to the companies operating them.
However, the MIB has, so far, received responses from a very few companies on the same. To remind the stakeholders of the appeal again, the Ministry has sent out a fresh reminder for seeking full details relating to the companies.
In view of the tardy response, the Ministry extended the date to 15 April. The earlier date was March-end.
The MIB has pointed out that it is the responsibility of the company to intimate any changes to the Ministry promptly.
In fresh letters sent to all television channels and teleport operators, the Ministry has asked among other things for contact details of the company including the registered address, any additional address, e-mail IDs, and telephone and fax numbers.
Also, the channels and teleports have been asked to supply the name of the authorised representative with his/her e-mail ID and mobile number.
The information has to be sent from the company’s e-mail to broadcastercontactdetails@gmail.com.
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.
