I&B Ministry
Reliance DTH application in order: I&B ministry
NEW DELHI: The Reliance magic is working on the DTH front. A clearance is expected soon, according to the government.
A DTH proposal from the Anil Ambani group is being processed, which will make it the third licence to be handed out by this government, information and broadcasting minister Jaipal Reddy told the Economic Editors Conference here today.
Reddy, who dubbed DTH as a technology with untold potentials,said his ministry has been working to remove bottlenecks in this segment of the broadcasting industry. Contrary to the Tata Star joint venture, which got a green signal from the government for a DTH service after a long delay, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Enterprise (ADAE)s proposal seems to be sailing smoothly.
A senior I&B ministry official admitted today that the ministry has scanned the application from the Ambani company and has found it to be in order.
The I&B ministry is awaiting routine clearances from other government agencies, including the home ministry, before it hands out a letter of intent, signalling the start of a lengthy procedure of handing out the actual licence for a DTH service.
In the DTH company, which would start a service under the brand name Bluemagic, absence of any foreign investment or partner has simplified matters, government officials pointed out.
Anil Ambani, whos awaiting completion of formalities relating to division of the Reliance empire amongst the children of Dhirubhai Ambani, recently changed the name of the DTH venture to Reliance Bluemagic from Reliance Skymagic, following objections by the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp to the word ‘Sky.’
ADAE has indicated to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that it wants to start the service towards the second half of 2006 with six transponders on the Insat-4 series, which it plans to ramp up over a period of time.
Interestingly, government officials claimed that contrary to media reports, government controlled oil company BPCL is yet to apply for a DTH licence.
At least I havent seen any application from BPCL,a senior I&B ministry official said.
At present, DD Direct+ and Dishtv are the two existing players in the DTH space, while the Tata-Star combine and Sun TV group’s Sun Direct TV have been given a green signal by the government to start their services.
Reliance Bluemagic will be the fifth player in the market, which is expected to be approximately 15 per cent of the total TV market in India over a period of five to eight years.
I&B Ministry
MIB blocks MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro and three other OTT platforms over obscene, sexually explicit content
Platforms streamed material violating IT Act provisions
NATIONAL: India’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry blocked five over-the-top streaming platforms for allegedly hosting obscene and sexually explicit content, marking a fresh escalation in regulatory action against digital services operating outside the country’s content rules, as per media reports.
The platforms, MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel and Jugnu, were found to be streaming material that prima facie violates provisions of the Information Technology Act and rules governing online publishers.
Blocking orders were issued under statutory powers that allow the government to restrict access to online content in the interest of public order and decency. Internet service providers have been directed to disable access to the websites and mobile applications linked to the platforms.
The move forms part of a wider surveillance drive by the ministry targeting lesser-known and unregulated streaming services that allegedly evade self-regulatory obligations applicable to OTT platforms. Officials said the action followed repeated advisories urging compliance with Indian laws, including age-based classification, grievance redressal mechanisms and restrictions on explicit material.
Government sources described the content hosted by the blocked platforms as “highly explicit”, adding that it crossed legal thresholds permitted under Indian law. While large OTT players operate within a three-tier grievance redressal framework introduced in 2021, smaller apps have increasingly drawn scrutiny for distributing adult content without oversight.
The latest action also reflects heightened enforcement against platforms operating through mirror websites, offshore hosting arrangements or opaque ownership structures. Authorities have in recent years stepped up monitoring of online curated content amid concerns around obscenity, misleading promotions and unlawful distribution.
Officials declined to say whether further steps, including probes into operators, payment gateways or production entities, were being considered. However, sources indicated that additional platforms could face similar action if found in breach of the law.
