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
MIB halts news TRPs for four weeks over sensational US-Iran conflict coverage
Government flags panic-mongering in television war coverage
NEW DELHI: India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC) to suspend television ratings for news channels for four weeks amid concerns over sensational coverage of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran.
According to media reports, the move intends to curb excessive dramatisation in television reporting that could trigger unnecessary public anxiety.
Officials have observed that several news broadcasters are amplifying developments in the conflict in ways that may fuel panic among viewers. By temporarily halting the publication of viewership data, the ministry hopes to ease the competitive pressure on channels to chase ratings through sensational content.
The suspension will remain in effect for one month for now. During this period, television news channels will continue to broadcast as usual, but their audience measurement figures will neither be counted nor released.
Authorities will monitor both the evolving geopolitical situation and the tone of television coverage during the pause. The four-week suspension could be extended if the government believes the risk of panic-mongering or sensational reporting persists.
