GECs
I&B Ministry asks TRAI and PCI to accelerate views on the proposed FDI limits
NEW DELHI: In the light of the current scenario of demands for growth in the media sector escalating, Information and Broadcasting Ministry has asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to speed up its comments on the reference made earlier regarding foreign investment limits in the broadcasting sector.
In its communication to TRAI, the Ministry has sought comments regarding the paper prepared by the Finance Ministry relating to revision in existing FDI caps in the broadcasting sector. The paper had been forwarded to TRAI seeking its recommendations under Section 11(1)(a)(ii) and (iv) of the TRAI Act, 1997, which pertains to the terms and conditions of license to a service provider and measures to facilitate competition and promote efficiency in the operation of telecommunication services to facilitate growth in such services.
In a similar separate communication, the ministry has requested the Press Council of India (PCI) to further its advice on the existing sectoral caps of FDI in print media under Section 13 of PCI Act 1978. The advice has been sought in view of the communication received from the Finance Ministry which aims to review policy of sectoral caps of FDI in print media. Section 13 authorises PCI to express its opinion in regard to any matter referred to it by the Central Government.
The paper proposes to raise the existing FDI cap of 26 per cent which is through FIPB route to 49 per cent through automatic route in the news sector. In the non-news sector, the existing FDI cap is 100 per cent through FIPB route which has been proposed to be 100 per cent through automatic route without the requirement of FIPB’s approval.
In a consultation paper issued in July following the ministry’s note of the same month, TRAI had reiterated its earlier proposal for increasing the foreign direct investment for FM Radio to 49 per cent, and said the FDI for teleports, DTH, HITS, mobile and cable television networks must be raised to 100 per cent.
TRAI also conceded a long-standing demand of news and current affairs television channels by recommending that they should be permitted 49 per cent FDI.
However, TRAI had said that in the cases of both FM Radio and news channels where the existing limit is 26 per cent, the clearance would be through the Foreign Investments Promotion Board.
In the case of teleports, DTH, HITS, mobile and cable television networks where the limit was 74 per cent, TRAI said that it can be raised to 100 per cent of which 49 per cent would be automatic and the rest would be through FIPB.
No change had been recommended in the case of downlinking of TV Channels and uplinking of general entertainment (non-news) channels where the upper limit is 100 per cent through FIPB.
TRAI had earlier given recommendations on the same subject in April 2008 and again on 30 June last year following ministerial references, on the basis of which changes had been carried out. The last such change was on 20 September 2012.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
