I&B Ministry
Government wraps consultations on broadcasting regulation overhaul
DELHI: India’s big broadcast rulebook reboot has crossed a crucial milestone. The government has completed stakeholder consultations on the Draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, paving the way for the most significant rewrite of media norms in years.
L. Murugan, minister of state for information and broadcasting, informed the Rajya Sabha that all submissions from industry bodies and stakeholders have been examined. The update was in response to an unstarred question raised by MP Saket Gokhale.
First opened for public comment on November 10, 2023, the draft Bill was initially slated to close on December 9, then extended to January 15, 2024. A fresh surge of industry feedback pushed the deadline further to October 15, 2024, reflecting intense scrutiny from broadcasters, streamers and media firms.
Murugan said the government “believes in wide and extensive consultations” as it looks to modernise antiquated broadcasting laws for a digital-first era where TV, OTT and online video increasingly overlap.
The Bill now stands on the runway for take-off. India’s media landscape may be just one push of the throttle away from a radical new flight path.
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.
