I&B Ministry
Entertainment industry gears up for Frames 2003
MUMBAI: More than 50 overseas speakers, along with media industry leaders are expected to participate in over 24 business sessions at Ficci Frames 2003, the three day convention that will span the entire gamut of the entertainment industry in the country.
The three day convention that kicks off on 14 March will discuss diverse topical issues like television programming and branding and filmmaking, along with a Trading Hub, an exhibition showcasing the Media and Entertainment Industry and presentation of industry reports on the Entertainment Industry and related legal issues. It will also provide an unique opportunity for industry professionals to meet and discuss policy issues with the key government officials.
The convention will be attended by business delegations from – UK, USA, France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Hong Kong, South Africa and Fiji . Speakers at the various sessions include the likes of Sunil Lulla, Executive Vice President, SET, Anurradha Prasad, Managing Director. B.A.G Films Ltd, Tarun Katial, Senior Vice President, STAR India PVt. Ltd, Aanand Mahendroo, Mg Director, Advance Entertainment Network Ltd, Nikhil Alva, Miditech Pvt. Ltd. .
A session on crystal gazing on the broadcast scenario of 2008 will have industry leaders sharing their vision of the future for the industry, while other sessions will grapple with the issue of how media brands can weather bottlenecks like prohibitive entertainment tax and other regulatory issues. There will be sessions on an international media perspective on the Indian entertainment Industry, to be attended by Derek Elley, Senior Film Critic, Intl Variety London, Janine Stein, Editorial Director, TV Asia and Scott Rosenberg, Mg Director, Asian Movie Works, among others.
Other sessions include those on different revenue streams for the media industry, the future of radio in the country, conditional access (to be moderated by indiantelevision.com CEO Anil Wanvari), DTH, branding across platforms and marketing – the global playfield.
A day prior to Frames 2003, a seminar on Technology for Information, Media and the Entertainment Industry will be held under the aegis of Frames, which will deal with issues like venture capital financing and mentoring, animation and technology.
I&B Ministry
MeitY proposes tighter rules for digital platforms and intermediaries
Fresh amendments aim to formalise government directions and expand content oversight.
MUMBAI: When the rulebook gets an upgrade, even the internet might need to sit up and pay attention because India’s digital regulators are clearly not scrolling idly. India’s technology regulators have proposed a fresh set of amendments to the country’s digital media and intermediary liability framework, seeking to expand oversight of online content and formalise the government’s authority to issue binding directions to platforms.
In a notice issued on 30 March, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) invited public comments on changes to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The revisions are described as “clarificatory and procedural” but are clearly aimed at strengthening compliance and enforcement.
At the heart of the proposal is a significant shift in how intermediaries, including social media platforms, respond to government advisories. A newly inserted provision would make compliance with official “clarifications, advisories, directions, standard operating procedures and guidelines” a formal part of the due diligence obligations required for platforms to retain legal immunity under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. This change effectively elevates government communications from guidance to enforceable obligations, tightening the regulatory loop between the state and digital platforms.
The amendments also expand the scope of content oversight under Part III of the rules, which governs digital media ethics. The proposed revisions clarify that the code will apply not only to publishers but also to intermediaries hosting news and current affairs content uploaded by users. This could bring user-generated news content more directly within the ambit of regulatory scrutiny, a move likely to raise questions about platform liability and editorial responsibility.
Further, the government has proposed broadening the mandate of the Inter-Departmental Committee, a key oversight body. The committee would no longer be limited to adjudicating complaints but could also take up matters referred directly by the ministry. This shift signals a more proactive regulatory posture, allowing authorities to initiate reviews without waiting for formal grievances.
The draft builds on an already expansive framework. The existing IT Rules impose detailed due diligence requirements on intermediaries, including obligations to remove unlawful content within tight timelines, maintain grievance redressal systems, and ensure traceability in certain cases. Recent amendments have also introduced provisions addressing synthetically generated content, requiring platforms to label such material and deploy technical measures to prevent misuse.
Officials framed the latest proposals as necessary to ensure an “Open, Safe, Trusted and Accountable Internet,” while improving “legal certainty” and the enforceability of regulatory directions.
Stakeholders have been invited to submit feedback by 14 April, setting the stage for what could become another consequential evolution in India’s digital governance regime.
In the fast-moving world of online content, these tweaks suggest the government is keen to keep the guardrails firmly in place – because when the internet grows wilder, even regulators feel the need to hit refresh on the rulebook.
