News Broadcasting
IBF Press Release
The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) members met in New Delhi today to discuss the implication of the proposed Conditional Access Systems (CAS).
Any propsoal that addresses the two fundamental issues of transparency and breaking up of the existing ground monopolies of the cable TV operators that face the industry is welcomed by the IBF. The reality is that today only 20 per cent of the ground revenue collected from the consumers accross the country comes back to the broadcasters.
The IBF members are of the view that there should be a planned and phased transition to enable the Indian consumers to comprahensively benefit from switching over to the Conditional Acceas Systems. To make CAS a realIty in the current form, the IBF believes that there are many issues concerning technology, funding, avaIlabilIty of set top boxes, regulation and non- discriminatory implementation and there is a need for a detailed analysis.
Further all the issues related with Implementation of CAS need to be looked at and addressed in totality. An amendment to the Cable TV Regulation Act is unlikely to resolve the fundamental issues that face the industry. It may in fact result in exploitation of customers in terms of prices of the services charged by the cable TV operators due to monopolies on ground.
Members of the Industry, Broadcasters, Vendors, Cable operators and the regulators need to work together to arrive at the correct CAS model. In the interim, the bradcasters have decided to come together and focus on the immediate problem of under declaration and demand 100% transparency from the cable TV operators.
The IBF also suggests that the existing parliamentary Select Committee headed by Parliamentarian Somnath Chatterjee looking into the Convergence Bill is ideally positioned to examine all the matters in totality so that the consumer gets the true benefit of the channels and the value added services.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
