I&B Ministry
Licences of 204 private TV channels revoked in last four years : I&B minister
New Delhi: The ministry of information and broadcasting has revoked licences of over 200 private TV channels during 2016-2020, union I&B minister Anurag Thakur told the Parliament on Monday.
Responding to a query in Rajya Sabha during the ongoing monsoon session, Thakur said that as on date, there are 916 private satellite TV channels which have been granted permission by the government under the Up-linking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2011.
“However, many channels failed to fulfil the guidelines and ceased to operate in the last five years,” he said. “TV channels cease operation due to various reasons, including for non-fulfilment of conditions under the guidelines. During the last five years, 204 TV channels have ceased to operate.”
Thakur also told the Parliament that the government also takes action against private TV channels for violation of programme code laid down under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 by issuance of warnings, advisories, off-air orders, etc. “The government has issued warnings in 128 cases for violation of guidelines,” he said.
The minister said 60 private satellite TV channels were given permission to operate in the country in 2016-17, 34 in 2017-18, 56 each in 2018-19 and 2019-20, and 22 in 2020-21.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati sets EPG standards for DD Free Dish platform
New specs define 7-day guide, LCN mapping, and device compatibility.
MUMBAI: Your TV guide just got a backstage pass structured, scheduled, and far more in sync. Prasar Bharati has released detailed technical specifications for Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) services on DD Free Dish, laying down a standardised framework for how channels and programme information are organised and delivered. At the core of the update is a defined EPG data structure, covering genre-based categorisation, scheduling formats, and Logical Channel Numbering (LCN). The aim is simple: make navigation less guesswork and more guided experience across the platform’s over 40 million households.
The specifications also introduce a seven-day programme guide window for each channel, alongside clear rules for channel grouping and LCN mapping effectively deciding not just what you watch, but how easily you find it.
On the technical front, the document outlines requirements for Program Specific Information (PSI) and Service Information (SI), including descriptor usage across tables such as PAT, BAT and NIT. It further details service lists and network linkage parameters, giving OEMs and developers a clearer blueprint for integration.
Importantly, the framework is designed to work seamlessly with television sets equipped with in-built satellite tuners, enabling users to access DD Free Dish directly without additional hardware, an incremental but meaningful step towards simplifying access.
The platform will continue to operate on GSAT-15 transponders, using MPEG-4 compression and DVB-S2 transmission standards, ensuring continuity even as the interface evolves.
While largely technical, the move signals a broader push towards standardisation and user-friendly discovery in India’s free-to-air ecosystem because sometimes, the real upgrade isn’t what’s on screen, but how easily you get there.
