I&B Ministry
MIB directs states to ensure TV digitisation & action against defaulters
NEW DELHI: Noting that it has been receiving a number of complaints alleging analogue signals were still being transmitted by some cable operators, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has directed local administrations in the country to crack down on such errant LCOs and report back on the actions taken.
This move comes within days of a notice to around 180 multi-system operators — granted provisional licenses — who had failed to comply with requirements of the government regarding digitisation, including updating information on the number of digital boxes seeded in their areas of operation.
In a letter to all state chief secretaries, MIB additional secretary Jayashree Mukherjee reiterated the government had mandated only digital encrypted signals can be carried on the cable TV networks in the country from 1 April 2017 and carriage of analogue signals and/or unencrypted signals after that date was a violation of the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995 for which authorised local level officers had powers under the law to seize the equipment of the defaulting cable operators.
The letter also pointed out that no reports were being received from the authorised local officials on action taken on complaints forwarded by the MIB, which had also prepared a check list for inspection of MSOs and sent it to officials of various local administrations on 25 April 2017. The directive was simple: plan regular inspection and take prompt action against the defaulters.
“Very poor response on carrying out of inspection by the authorised officers has been received,” the MIB letter rued, requesting various state chief secretaries to direct their colleagues to be more active on this front against defaulters.
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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.
