I&B Ministry
Expedite Prasar CEO appointment, govt urged
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati chairman Surya Prakash has written to the government to expedite the selection of a new CEO and member (personnel) in the pubcaster.
Prakash told the indiantelevision.com that he had sought from the government to ensure the vacancies are filled soon to facilitate decision-making.
A high-level committee headed by India’s vice-president Hamid Ansari is needed to meet as stipulated in the Prasar Bharati Act 1990 to select a new CEO and other members.
Meanwhile, member (finance) Rajeev Singh is scheduled to take over as the interim chief executive officer of the pubcaster from 6 February. He succeeds Suresh C Panda who was the member (personnel) and is due to retire on 4 February.
The decision was taken at a board meeting held recently in Hyderabad. Panda had been appointed as the acting CEO after Jawhar Sircar demitted office on 4 November.
Singh, who has been serving Prasar Bharati as member (finance) since April 2015, was previously with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd in different roles for a little over nine years. Singh is an engineering graduate from Nagpur University and is a post-graduate in business administration from Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi.
Singh’s appointment comes at a time when the public broadcaster is all set to revamp Doordarshan by introducing new prime time programming in February following e-auctions for these slots.
The information and broadcasting ministry had issued an advertisement, calling applications for the post of member (personnel) and received 56 applications.
I&B Ministry
India tightens anti-piracy law, blocks sites and Telegram channels
New rules bring jail terms, fines and faster takedowns of illegal content
NEW DELHI: The Government of India has stepped up its fight against film piracy, invoking stricter provisions under the Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023 to crack down on unauthorised recording and distribution.
The law now imposes tougher penalties, including jail terms ranging from three months to three years and fines starting at Rs. 3 lakh, which can go up to 5 per cent of a film’s production cost. The provisions target both illegal recording in cinemas and unauthorised online transmission.
In a fresh enforcement push, authorities have notified the Telegram platform to act against piracy, leading to the identification of 3,142 channels allegedly distributing copyrighted content without permission. In parallel, access to around 800 piracy websites has been blocked through internet service providers.
The action has been taken under the Information Technology Act 2000, which empowers the government to direct intermediaries to remove unlawful content. The framework is further reinforced by the Information Technology Rules 2021, requiring platforms to act swiftly when notified of violations.
An institutional mechanism is also in place, allowing copyright holders and authorised representatives to file complaints through designated nodal officers. Once verified, these complaints trigger takedown notices to intermediaries for disabling access to infringing content.
The update was shared in Parliament by Government of India minister of state information and broadcasting l murugan in response to a query from Parimal Nathwani.
The government’s latest move signals a sharper, more coordinated approach to tackling piracy across both physical and digital channels. For the film industry, it is a step towards protecting revenues, while for viewers, it reinforces the shift towards legitimate content consumption.
