I&B Ministry
Parliament panel turns up the heat; asks MIB to give timeline for broadcast bill
MUMBAI: In a rebuke, the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has demanded that the ministry of information and broadcasting stop dithering and set a firm deadline for the long-delayed Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, The Economic Times has reported.
The parliamentary panel, clearly miffed at the glacial pace of progress, wants the controversial legislation tabled in Parliament “at the earliest” – governmental code for “you’ve been dragging your feet for too long.”
The ministry’s second draft of the broadcast bill had a spectacularly brief public life last year – introduced with fanfare in July only to be hastily withdrawn in August after media stakeholders threw a collective wobbly over the secretive consultation process.
Industry insiders were particularly hot under the collar about vague terminology that could potentially hand sweeping powers to bureaucrats – a prospect about as popular in newsrooms as a pay cut.
In its response to the parliamentary committee’s prodding, the ministry promised a fresh draft would emerge after “detailed consultations.” It outlined a tortuous path ahead: consultations will be followed by a draft cabinet note, inter-ministerial ruminations, and eventual submission for the cabinet’s consideration.
The committee’s action taken report makes it crystal clear that lawmakers’ patience is wearing thinner than a politician’s promises during election season.
Having previously recommended that the government “expedite” formulation of the law while ensuring adequate consultations, the committee has now upped the ante by demanding a concrete timeline.
The original draft bill had been available for public commentary from 10 November to 9 December 2023, with the deadline later extended to 15 January 2024 – but more than a year later, a revised version remains elusive .
Industry observers note that the regulatory vacuum continues to leave India’s vibrant broadcasting sector in limbo, with outdated rules struggling to address the challenges posed by streaming platforms and social media content.
“At this rate, we’ll have holographic television before we get a broadcasting law,” remarked one cynical media veteran.
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.
