GECs
I&B ministry toys cross-media restrictions
NEW DELHI: After having proposed that all TV channels beaming from outside India, should register themselves in India, the government is now toying with cross-media restrictions.
According to a senior official of the information and broadcasting ministry, “The ministry is exploring whether cross-media restrictions could be introduced in India to restrict monopoly of media companies, which is being increasingly resorted through vertical integration.”
Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference hosted by I&B minister Jaipal Reddy today to announce corrections carried out in some published works of Mahatma Gandhi, the government official explained “bypassing of guidelines in spirit in recent times by a media company in a case related to DTH” has prompted examination of cross-media restrictions.
However, media companies in India need not fret. Legislating cross-media restrictions into a law might take time, would be part of the proposed Regulatory Authority Bill, which Reddy is planning to introduce in Parliament during the monsoon session starting later next month, and highly debatable.
It is worth mentioning here that the Broadcasting Bill, introduced in Parliament in the late 1990s by Reddy himself, during an earlier stint at the I&B ministry, had detailed provisions for cross-media restrictions.
That Bill subsequently went into a limbo and lapsed after a specific period of time as the then government fell from power in the 1990s and successive policy-makers never thought of reviving the proposed piece of legislation.
Meanwhile, Reddy today said that the uplinking and downlinking laws being proposed would go for Cabinet’s consideration in about two weeks time.
“We are in the process of giving finishing touches to the Cabinet notes and they would be put up for Cabinets’ views in a fortnight’s time,” Reddy said,
adding that both the proposals are aimed at plugging loopholes in existing laws relating to the broadcast sector.
Having some common features, both the uplink and downlinking regulations are broadly aimed at making all TV channels available in India, whether uplinked from India or outside, more accountable to local regulations and authorities.
The I&B ministry, for example, has mooted a proposal of minimum net worth for all TV channels uplinking from India on the lines of norms prevalent in other industries like banking.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
