I&B Ministry
I&B ministry backs 20 per cent FDI in FM radio
NEW DELHI: Aimed at liberalising the regime, information and broadcasting ministry has cleared 20 per cent FDI for the private FM radio sector, but stuck to the ban on news and current affairs programmes.
“We have formalised the policy package for the private FM radio and sent it to various ministries for taking their views, before taking it to the Cabinet,” information and broadcasting minister S Jaipal Reddy was quoted by Press Trust of India as saying on the sidelines of the of a conference by industry chamber ASSOCHAM.
The minister said the ministry has decided to limit the FDI level at the existing FII cap. “We hope to go to the Cabinet on the matter soon,” he added.
However, he said the government was not open to the idea of allowing news and current affairs on private FM radio. “There are certain reservations, PTI quoted him as saying.
Broadcast and cable regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) had set the ball rolling for the second phase of privatisation of FM radio last year by saying that there should be migration to revenue share of four per cent annually and that up to 26 per cent foreign investment could be allowed, subject to government review of the existing policy that bars any foreign investment in this sector.
On the issue of allowing news and current affairs (N&CA) programming on private FM radio stations, the regulator had recommended that the existing restriction be reviewed by government and lifted after incorporating adequate safeguards.
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.
