I&B Ministry
MIB extends draft broadcast bill consultation date to 15 October
Mumbai: The ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) has announced late last night on X (twitter) that the last date for receiving comments/recommendations/suggestions on the much-talked-about draft broadcasting bill has been extended to 15 October 2024. It also attached the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulations) Bill, 2023 which it had released on 10 November 2023 with the tweet, and not the “2024 draft version” which has been doing the rounds of several publications.
It had been alleged by several media outlets that the bill in its 2024 draft version would curb the relative freedom that news channels, influencers, online websites, and OTT platforms currently enjoy by asking them to set up content evaluation committees.
Earlier yesterday, certain news publications had reported that the ministry had told organisations to return their copies of the “2024 draft version” to it. The MIB it is reported was holding consultations with select stakeholders on this version.
Even as the date has been extended, it was not clear at the time of writing whether the 2024 draft version was being scrapped in its entirety or only parts of it would be.
In its tweet, the MIB cryptically said that a fresh draft would be published after detailed consultations.
I&B Ministry
AIDCF moves TDSAT over Waves plan to stream linear TV channels
Industry body flags regulatory gap as OTT push sparks broadcast turf war
NEW DELHI: The battle between traditional television distributors and digital platforms has found its way to the courts, with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Prasar Bharati’s latest OTT play.
At the heart of the dispute is Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, which has invited applications to onboard linear satellite TV channels. Aidcf, which represents multi-system operators (msos), argues that this move sidesteps existing broadcasting rules and risks tilting the playing field in favour of digital platforms.
The federation’s petition hinges on a key provision in the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. Clause 11(3)(f) allows broadcasters to downlink channels only if they provide signal decoders to recognised distribution platforms such as MSOS, DTH operators, hits operators and iptv platforms. OTT platforms, aidcf points out, do not feature on that list.
In simple terms, AIDCF’s argument is this: if OTT platforms are not officially recognised distributors, they should not be receiving broadcast signals in the first place. By inviting channels onto Waves, the federation claims, Prasar Bharati is opening a backdoor that lets broadcasters bypass long-standing rules.
The concern goes beyond legal interpretation. Aidcf says OTT platforms currently operate without a clear regulatory framework, allowing them to expand into traditional broadcasting territory without the compliance burden that cable and satellite operators must carry. That, it argues, creates an uneven contest.
There is also a warning for broadcasters. If they provide signal decoders to an OTT platform like Waves, they could risk breaching the very conditions under which their downlinking permissions were granted.
For its part, Prasar Bharati’s Waves initiative is positioned as a step towards wider access and digital reach, bringing linear television into the streaming era. But critics say the move blurs the line between regulated broadcasting and largely unregulated streaming.
The matter is expected to come up before tdsat next week. The outcome could do more than settle a single dispute. It may help define how India regulates the fast-merging worlds of television and OTT, where the lines are getting fuzzier by the day and the stakes, sharper than ever.
