I&B Ministry
MIB expresses dissatisfaction with IAMAI’s self-regulatory model for OTT platforms
KOLKATA: While all the major OTT players have agreed to come under the ambit of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)’s self-regulation guidelines recently, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has expressed its dissatisfaction with the model.
Earlier this month, IAMAI unveiled the ‘Universal Self-Regulation Code’ for Online Curated Content Providers (OCCPs) in India. The first set of signatories included Zee5, Viacom 18, Disney+Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, MX Player, Jio Cinema, Eros Now, Alt Balaji, Arre, HoiChoi, Hungama, Shemaroo, Discovery Plus, Flickstree. Later, Lionsgate play and SonyLIV also came on board.
According to media reports, IAMAI has been informed of the disapproval of MIB in a letter from the ministry. MIB has asked the organisation to look at other self-regulatory models. Previously, IAMAI had written to the ministry for its guidance and support in implementing the self-regulatory code.
“The proposed self-regulatory mechanism lacks independent third-party monitoring, does not have a well-defined Code of Ethics, does not clearly enunciate prohibited content, and at the second and third-tier level there is an issue of conflict of interest,” the ministry stated in the letter.
MIB has also observed that the model does not classify prohibited content. Moreover, the second tier advisory panel is constituted by OCCP itself rather than having an independent oraginsation.
IAMAI has also been advised to look at the structures of the Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) and News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) as guiding principles.
MUMBAI: When the numbers go silent, the noise on screen gets a little harder to measure. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has extended the suspension of television rating data for news channels, directing Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to withhold TRPs for another four weeks. The latest order, issued on March 31, 2026, builds on an earlier directive from March 6 that had paused ratings for a month. The ministry has clarified that the blackout will continue for four weeks or until further instructions are issued whichever comes earlier keeping the industry in a prolonged state of data drought.
The reasoning, officials suggest, lies far beyond domestic screens. With geopolitical tensions in West Asia continuing to escalate, the government has flagged concerns over how such developments could influence news consumption and presentation. The move is aimed at curbing excessive sensationalism and speculative coverage during what it describes as a sensitive global moment.
For the broadcast ecosystem, the absence of Television Rating Points (TRPs) is more than symbolic, it removes the industry’s primary scorecard. Ratings dictate advertising flows, shape editorial strategies and fuel the competitive pecking order among news channels. Without them, broadcasters are effectively operating without a public performance benchmark.
The timing only adds to the complexity. Amid a high-intensity global news cycle, channels must now navigate audience engagement without the weekly feedback loop that typically drives programming decisions. Advertisers, too, are left recalibrating, leaning on proxies such as brand strength, reach and distribution instead of hard viewership data.
While framed as a temporary regulatory intervention tied to maintaining public order, the extended suspension underscores a broader unease about the tone and direction of news coverage. For now, the ratings race is on pause but the battle for attention continues, just without a scoreboard.
