I&B Ministry
Indian govt warns against re-transmission of Peace TV illegally
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Even as reports came that the Government is initiating a probe into how Peace TV is being beamed into the country, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued an advisory today asking all MSOs, cable operators and DTH platforms against transmitting any un-authorized TV channels on their networks.
Drawing attention to reports of “security threats due to TV content aimed at inciting communal and terrorist violence”, the government advisory said, “Reports are being received of such content being broadcast through private satellite TV channels, such as Peace TV channel, which are not permitted by this Ministry for downlinking into the country. It is, therefore, essential that broadcast or transmission of such non-permitted channels is stopped immediately by the cable operators and DTH operators.”
Peace TV, twice denied landing rights in India earlier, airs sermons of Mumbai-based tele-evangelist Dr. Zakir Naik.
The government warned that necessary action would be taken for any violations against defaulters.
A Press Trust of India (PTI) report, separately, quoted home minister Rajnath Singh as saying that reports regarding Mumbai-based Zakir Naik, his sermons on Peace TV and the Islamic institution run by him have been taken note of and action will be taken as per law.
Meanwhile, MIB sources said that the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and Intelligence Bureau would be asked to probe how the channel is beaming into the country.
The sources, who said that the channel had been denied permission twice to beam into India, added that the MIB would take the help of the External Affairs Ministry to approach the countries in west Asia from where the channel was being beamed.
The government advisory to Indian media pointed out that non-permitted TV channels are in violation of the sub-rule 6(6) of the Cable TV Rules under programme code and “need to acted upon immediately”.
Section 5 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995, amended in 1997, states no person shall transmit or re-transmit through a cable service any programme unless such programme is in conformity with the programme code. In the Cable Television Network (CTN) Rules 1994, framed under the Cable TV Act, the nature of the contents prohibited to be transmitted or re-transmitted are given in the in the programme code under Rule 6 of these Rules.
Sub Rule 6(6) of the Cable TV Rules specifies that no cable operator shall carry or include in his cable service any television broadcast or channel, which has not been registered by the Central Government for being viewed within the territory of India.
The advisory said that a list of the private satellite TV channels permitted by the government was available on the website of MIB at www.mib.nic.in.
Transmission or re-transmission of any TV channel in violation of the Section 5 of the Cable TV Act, read with Rule 6(6), by any cable operator is an offence which attracts action against the operators by authorized officers.
The Central government advisory has been sent to various State governments too.
Naik and his Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) came into limelight after a Bangladeshi newspaper, quoting local government officials, alleged that his sermons influenced the people who killed 20 people, comprising mostly foreigners, in Dhaka few days before Eid.
According to Peace TV’s website, peacetv.in, on which its schedule is available, the channel is beamed off at least a dozen satellite transponders to reach viewers in more than 200 countries.
Its English HD feed is available off AsiaSat7 at 105.5 degrees East and off Arabsat BADR 4 at 26.0 degrees East. AsiaSat 7’s C-band transponders have coverage over South East Asia, West Asia, Asia and Australasia, while Arabsat BADR 4 allows it to reach out in Africa, West Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of Europe.
The channel also has an India region targeted specific transponder on Intelsat12 at 45 degrees east. Indian government officials think that some cable operators and MSOs, probably, are latching on to this beam and (illegally) retransmitting Peace TV following requests from subscribers.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati opens AIR to private content under new policy
NIPP introduces revenue share, sponsored and gratis models
MUMBAI: Radio may be the oldest voice in the room, but it’s learning some very modern tricks. In a bid to stay tuned to changing listener habits, Prasar Bharati has opened the doors of All India Radio to private players under a newly rolled-out content framework. The initiative, titled Notice Inviting Programme Proposals (NIPP), marks a significant shift in how the public broadcaster approaches programming moving from a largely in-house model to a more collaborative, market-aligned ecosystem. Issued by Akashvani’s Directorate General in April 2026, the policy invites private producers, content owners and aggregators to pitch programmes across formats, from radio dramas and documentaries to quiz shows, storytelling and music-led content.
At the heart of the framework lies a three-pronged participation model designed to balance creative freedom with commercial viability. The most prominent route is revenue sharing, where advertising and sponsorship income generated by a programme is split between the producer and the broadcaster. The structure tilts in favour of creators offering a 70:30 split when producers bring in advertising, and 65:35 when monetisation is handled by Prasar Bharati.
Alongside this sits the sponsored model, where producers fully fund and monetise their content, subject to compliance with advertising norms and the AIR Broadcast Code. For those less commercially inclined, a gratis route allows content to be submitted free of cost, with Prasar Bharati retaining all monetisation rights effectively turning the platform into a national distribution channel for diverse voices.
The move comes as legacy media grapples with intensifying competition from private FM networks, streaming platforms and digital audio ecosystems. By repositioning AIR as both a public service broadcaster and a content marketplace, Prasar Bharati appears to be recalibrating its role in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Importantly, the framework does not dilute editorial control. All submissions must adhere to the AIR Broadcast Code, and proposals are evaluated through a layered process that weighs storytelling quality, production capability, audience appeal and revenue potential. Only proposals crossing a defined threshold move forward, signalling that while access has widened, the bar remains firmly in place.
Operational discipline is another cornerstone of the policy. Producers are required to maintain broadcast-ready content, deliver episode banks in advance and navigate a structured approval process. Crucially, all production costs are borne by the content provider, reinforcing Prasar Bharati’s positioning as a distribution and oversight platform rather than a commissioning entity.
What elevates the initiative further is its scale. The framework spans multiple clusters and stations across India, covering both metro and regional markets, with specific language mandates and submission channels. This not only expands the content pipeline but also deepens linguistic and cultural representation, an area where AIR has historically held an advantage.
In effect, NIPP signals a quiet but meaningful transformation. AIR is no longer just broadcasting to the nation, it is inviting the nation to broadcast with it, blending legacy reach with contemporary content economics in a bid to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented audio universe.
