I&B Ministry
IBF seeks service tax exemption for electronic media
MUMBAI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation has urged the government to exempt the broadcast industry from service tax as part of its wish list for the forthcoming Union Budget.
In a pre-budget memorandum submitted to the finance minister, the IBF has listed out the major issues affecting the broadcasting industry. Pointing out that advertisements in the electronic media are subject to service tax whereas the same are exempt from the tax in print media, the IBF says there is no justification for such discrimination.
Failing a full exemption, the IBF has asked for service tax to be charged on 25 per cent of the advertising revenue, as an average 75 per cent of the cost is for content creation and not for generating the revenue from the advertisements, the IBF argues. It has also recommended customs duty on broadcasting equipment to be kept at par with telecom equipment , currently at five per cent.
The plea for exemption on customs duty for set top boxes for at least another three year continues in the IBF’s wish list for the second year running. Also added is a plea for no excise duty on STBs, to encourage indigenous production of the boxes.
The IBF has also asked for a maximum rate of five per cent as a prescribed TDS rate for airtime sales, to do away with the practice of foreign broadcasters having to apply to the IT assessing officers every year.
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.
