I&B Ministry
Twelve applicants/channels denied permission to launch private satellite channels in last number, total remains at 869
New Delhi, 8 April: Even though the number of permissions granted to private satellite television channels uplinking from or downlinking into India crossed the 1000 figure for the first time, as many as 138 have been denied permission.
Thus, the total number of operative channels as on 31 March was 869, of which news and current affairs channels number 394. Thus the number of general entertainment channels is 475.
Thus, the government had given permission to a total of 1007 channels which included 126 whose permissions were cancelled later. The last list issued on 31 March had said 126 had been refused permission but twelve new channels had been permitted, taking the total to 869. This number remains the same.
Twenty channels including seven news channels have been permitted to uplink from India but not downlink within the country.
A total of 754 channels including 382 GECs are allowed to uplink and downlink in the country while 95 including 80 GECs are uplinked from overseas but allowed to downlink into TV homes in the country.
Thus, the number allowed to uplink and downlink in the country has fallen by one even though the number of general entertainment channels has risen by eight. This is because the number of news channels has fallen by eight to 372.
After 31 January, the news channels cleared are: Zee Bihar Jharkhand; WIO; and Zee 24 Hour Business.
The Non-News channels cleared are Sab Bangla; Sab Tamil; Sab Punjabi; Sab Marathi; Sab Telugu; Sony Wah; Sony Rox; Jewel Alliance; Star Utsav Movies (Earlier:Star Gold Romance); Maa HD; Jalsha Movies HD; Star Jalsha HD; Maa Movies HD; Star Pravah HD; Star Movies Premiere; Star Movies Premiere HD; Fox Crime HD; Rishtey Cineplex; Stay Raw; And Vijay Super.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry site (mib.nic.in) also contains the full details of the owners of these channels, the languages in which they will beam, and the date on which the clearance came. However, there are no details of channels denied permission.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati opens AIR to private content under new policy
NIPP introduces revenue share, sponsored and gratis models
MUMBAI: Radio may be the oldest voice in the room, but it’s learning some very modern tricks. In a bid to stay tuned to changing listener habits, Prasar Bharati has opened the doors of All India Radio to private players under a newly rolled-out content framework. The initiative, titled Notice Inviting Programme Proposals (NIPP), marks a significant shift in how the public broadcaster approaches programming moving from a largely in-house model to a more collaborative, market-aligned ecosystem. Issued by Akashvani’s Directorate General in April 2026, the policy invites private producers, content owners and aggregators to pitch programmes across formats, from radio dramas and documentaries to quiz shows, storytelling and music-led content.
At the heart of the framework lies a three-pronged participation model designed to balance creative freedom with commercial viability. The most prominent route is revenue sharing, where advertising and sponsorship income generated by a programme is split between the producer and the broadcaster. The structure tilts in favour of creators offering a 70:30 split when producers bring in advertising, and 65:35 when monetisation is handled by Prasar Bharati.
Alongside this sits the sponsored model, where producers fully fund and monetise their content, subject to compliance with advertising norms and the AIR Broadcast Code. For those less commercially inclined, a gratis route allows content to be submitted free of cost, with Prasar Bharati retaining all monetisation rights effectively turning the platform into a national distribution channel for diverse voices.
The move comes as legacy media grapples with intensifying competition from private FM networks, streaming platforms and digital audio ecosystems. By repositioning AIR as both a public service broadcaster and a content marketplace, Prasar Bharati appears to be recalibrating its role in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Importantly, the framework does not dilute editorial control. All submissions must adhere to the AIR Broadcast Code, and proposals are evaluated through a layered process that weighs storytelling quality, production capability, audience appeal and revenue potential. Only proposals crossing a defined threshold move forward, signalling that while access has widened, the bar remains firmly in place.
Operational discipline is another cornerstone of the policy. Producers are required to maintain broadcast-ready content, deliver episode banks in advance and navigate a structured approval process. Crucially, all production costs are borne by the content provider, reinforcing Prasar Bharati’s positioning as a distribution and oversight platform rather than a commissioning entity.
What elevates the initiative further is its scale. The framework spans multiple clusters and stations across India, covering both metro and regional markets, with specific language mandates and submission channels. This not only expands the content pipeline but also deepens linguistic and cultural representation, an area where AIR has historically held an advantage.
In effect, NIPP signals a quiet but meaningful transformation. AIR is no longer just broadcasting to the nation, it is inviting the nation to broadcast with it, blending legacy reach with contemporary content economics in a bid to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented audio universe.
