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European Parliament backs new TV ad rules
MUMBAI: The European parliament has backed the proposals to overhaul the 1989 Television without Frontiers Directive, last updated in 1997 and which has failed to keep pace with the rapid changes in the audiovisual sector.
The new rules will be renamed to the audiovisual media services directive to reflect the changes in the marketplace over the last ten years.
The Parliament stated that product placement should soon be legal across the EU, subject to some conditions. Films, TV series, sports programmes and entertainment will be allowed to carry product placement advertising, providing viewers are warned in advance and at least once every 20 minutes.
News, current affairs programmes, documentaries and children’s TV programmes will not be allowed to carry product placements. Product placement for tobacco products will not be allowed.
Parliament also agreed to allow breaks for commercials in movies and some other TV programs every 30 minutes, and not, as the Commission had proposed, every 35 minutes, or the Culture Committee, with 45 minutes.
Centre-left spokesman Henri Weber said, “While the use of product placement will be limited, parliament has relaxed the rules on advertising.”
MEPs mentioned that such broadcasts could only be blocked if they were fully justified for reasons of public policy, including the protection of minors or public security or public health or the protection of cultural diversity.
They also drew up a list of criteria that national governments must fulfil to justify any such measures, and stipulated that the European commission should have the final say on whether programmes could justifiably be blocked.
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WITT Summit 2026 concludes in New Delhi
Babar Azam’s comical diving attempt goes viral as league introduces anti-dew measures.
MUMBAI: The WITT Summit just wrapped up with enough big ideas to fill a policy playbook because when India’s leaders, thinkers and icons gather under one roof, even the conversations hit sixes. The eighth edition of TV9 Network’s flagship What India Thinks Today (WITT) Summit 2026 concluded on Saturday after two days of dynamic discussions at its New Delhi venue. India’s largest multi-domain public policy and culture summit brought together political leaders, policymakers, sports icons, artists and technology innovators to examine the forces shaping contemporary India and its global standing.
Prime minister Narendra Modi delivered the keynote address on the theme “India and the World” for the third consecutive year. In a wide-ranging speech, he addressed the ongoing conflict in West Asia, calling for restraint and compassion while highlighting India’s continued development trajectory despite global turmoil.
The summit featured candid conversations with state leaders. Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy articulated a people-first governance model and contrasted it with other development approaches. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav declared that Left-wing extremism had been effectively eliminated in his state and highlighted preparations for the upcoming Kumbh Mela. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann defended his government’s record, citing the closure of 19 toll plazas and creation of the Sadak Suraksha Force. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress prospects in Assam and addressed recent allegations against him.
On geopolitics and national security, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlined India’s ambition to become a builder of trusted digital infrastructure for the world, citing the rapid 5G rollout and village-level 4G connectivity.
Cricket received significant attention. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praised player freedom and trust as hallmarks of great leadership and named MS Dhoni as the greatest captain due to his World Cup successes. India women’s team bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi credited the BCCI and Women’s Premier League for building a pipeline of world-class talent behind the team’s recent ODI World Cup triumph.
The summit also hosted the inaugural AI² Awards 2026, celebrating the convergence of human creativity and machine intelligence in storytelling and content creation. Poet and kathavachak Kumar Vishwas delivered a nuanced take on India’s concept of Dharma and criticised the recent arrest of an 80-year-old Shankaracharya. Veteran lyricist Sameer Anjaan and storyteller Neelesh Misra reflected on changing music trends and artistic responsibility in the wake of a recent controversy involving Nora Fatehi.
In a country where conversations often run as deep as the Ganges, the WITT Summit proved once again that when leaders, thinkers and storytellers come together, the real winner is public discourse lively, layered and refreshingly unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping India’s tomorrow.
