I&B Ministry
MIB says fewer TV channels violating ad, prog norms
NEW DELHI: Indian channels seem to be finally toeing the line. The number of TV channels violating codes has been on a decline over the years. As many as 54 private television channels have violated the programme and advertising codes since 2014, though the number has been dipping, the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) was informed.
17 channels each violated the code in 2014 and 2015, while 16 channels in 2016, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Smriti Irani said in a written reply on Thursday to question from a fellow parliamentarian.
However, there was a sharp dip in 2017 with only four channels found to have violated the code. No violations have been reported yet this year.
The minister said that all the programmes and advertisements telecast on private satellite TV channels were required to adhere to the Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, and Cable Television Network Rules, 1994.
The minister added that the regulations do not provide for pre-censorship of any programme or advertisement telecast on the channels. However, all programmes and advertisements were required to be in conformity with the relevant codes, which contain a whole range of parameters to regulate programmes and advertisements on TV channels.
Irani said that action is taken against TV channels as per uplinking and downlinking guidelines whenever any violation of the codes is established.
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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.
