I&B Ministry
MIB proposes installation of chip in DTH boxes: Report
MUMBAI: In order to make the measurement process of viewership better, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has proposed of an in-built chip in set-top boxes (STBs). According to a report by The Asian Age, the ministry has sought that all direct-to-home (DTH) operators should install a chip in all new set-top boxes to record data about channels watched and their duration.
The MIB has made this recommendation to the regulatory body Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The proposal was squeezed into the voluminious DTH sector recommendations and the TRAI has asked for a separate and detailed proposal in regard to the matter.
“Regarding asking DTH operators to instal a chip in new STBs, it is stated that this is a new issue and cannot be part of the reference. If the MIB desires the TRAI’s recommendation on this issue, it may send a separate reference to TRAI as per the provisions of TRAI Act 1997,” TRAI said in a communication to the ministry.
If the step is taken, it would ensure a wider and better measurement system of viewership preferences across the country. Other than that, the move may also lead to the end of the Broadcast Audience Research Council’s (BARC) monopoly in the measurement system.
The proposal of allowing the renewal of licences to only DTH operators that have no dues pending to government has been approved by the TRAI.
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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.
