I&B Ministry
MIB cancelled 14 channels’ permissions on MHA advice
MUMBAI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is getting strict on giving channel licences, even cancelling some. 14 channels, whose licence was cancelled by the MIB due to security denial by Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), challenged the decision and have got a stay order from the High Court.
Out of these fourteen channels, twelve channels are news channels and two are non-news channels. Mahua Media Private Limited, Mavis Satcom Limited, STV Enterprises Limited, Alliance Broadcasting Private Limited are the concerned parties.
After cancelling permission to 236 channels, the number of private satellite TV channels having valid permission in India stands at 867 as on 30 June 2018. While 384 channels are news channels, the rest i.e. 483 are non-news channels.
According to earlier statistics, the total number of private satellite and pay TV channels stood at 875 as on 28 February, 2018. In the last one year, there has been a dearth of licences being handed out. The earlier part of 2018 saw the addition of just two channels namely Discovery Jeet HD and DSport HD.
Of the 867 permitted private satellite channels, TV channels permitted for uplink from India and also to downlink into India are 766 among which 364 are news channels and 402 are non-news channels. Five news and eleven non-news channel are permitted for uplink from India but not downlink into the country. 85 TV channels are uplinked from abroad which only have downlinking permission in India. This category includes 15 news and 70 non-news channel.
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.
