I&B Ministry
Complaints against misleading ads rose by 50% in 2017
MUMBAI: The number of cases registered with regard to misleading advertisements has been on the rise. Grievance against Misleading Advertisements is a separate portal by the Department of Consumer Affairs to dispose of such complaints.
Over the last three years, there has been a steady rise in the number of cases registered. In 2015, the launch year, there were 641 cases that shot up to 2032 the next year. Last year, 2017, saw a whopping 3302 cases being submitted to the portal.
The departments had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), a self-governing body, to process misleading ads in the print and electronic media, which will be received on the portal.
In a reply to a question asked in the parliament, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (MIB) Rajyavardhan Rathore said that there was no pre-censorship done for TV channels but all broadcasters needed to abide by advertising rules set by the Cable TV Act and also could not telecast ads found violating ASCI’s codes.
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I&B Ministry
Digital radio, D2M tech set to reshape broadcasting and public messaging
Govt pushes next-gen delivery while TRAI tightens grip on spam ecosystem
NEW DELHI: India’s broadcasting and telecom landscape is undergoing a quiet but significant upgrade, with digital radio and Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) technologies emerging as powerful tools for mass communication, while regulators step up efforts to tackle spam calls.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, digital radio and D2M are poised to transform how content reaches audiences by making more efficient use of spectrum. In simple terms, multiple channels can now be delivered over a single frequency, opening the door to a wider range of free-to-air content.
D2M technology takes this a step further by enabling video, audio and data to be broadcast directly to mobile handsets without relying on SIM cards or mobile data. The result is a resilient and cost-effective data pipe that can deliver everything from entertainment and education to critical emergency alerts, even in low-connectivity scenarios.
At the same time, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is tightening its grip on unsolicited commercial communication, better known as spam calls. The regulator has deployed a distributed ledger technology platform to bring transparency and accountability into the system.
Through this blockchain-based setup, consumers can register their preferences on receiving promotional messages, while businesses and telemarketers must also sign up and operate within defined rules. The platform also includes a complaint mechanism that allows users to report spam, with complaints shared across telecom operators for coordinated action.
The government’s broader push is being supported by infrastructure upgrades under the Broadcasting Infrastructure and Network Development scheme. Implemented through Prasar Bharati, the initiative focuses on modernising networks such as Akashvani and Doordarshan, including digitisation and adoption of next-generation broadcast equipment.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan said these steps are part of a larger effort to promote emerging technologies and strengthen the country’s broadcasting backbone. The response came to a query raised by member of Parliament Rao Rajendra Singh.
Together, these developments point to a dual-track strategy: expanding access to reliable, low-cost content while cleaning up the communication ecosystem. As digital pipes get smarter and spam filters sharper, India’s airwaves may soon feel a lot less noisy and far more useful.
