I&B Ministry
I&B minister Manish Tewari inaugurates BES Expo 2014
NEW DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting minister Manish Tewari inaugurated the 20th International Conference and Exhibition on Terrestrial and Satellite Broadcasting – BES Expo 2014, today at New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion he said, “The last two decades have witnessed exponential growth in both the broadcasting and telecom sectors, giving rise to 800 plus television channels.”
Commenting on the problems and challenges faced by the broadcasting sector due to competition for market share, he said the union cabinet has recently approved the proposal of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting for a comprehensive regulatory framework in the form of guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India. These guidelines cover detailed procedures for registration of rating agencies, eligibility norms, terms and conditions of registration, cross-holdings, methodology for audience measurement, a complaint redressal mechanism, sale and use of ratings, audit, disclosure, reporting requirements and action on non-compliance of guidelines.
Also speaking at the function, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting secretary Bimal Julka, said the ministry is planning to strengthen community radio movement in India, which would help in giving voice to the voiceless.
The BES expo is being attended by over 300 eminent broadcasters, media industry professionals and experts from India and abroad. The three day long expo will have deliberations on issues such as terrestrial broadcasting, future of TV, digitization, disaster broadcast systems for information dissemination, regulatory framework in broadcasting and other important issues related to the broadcasting industry.
I&B Ministry
MeitY extends deadline for feedback on digital media rules overhaul
Government gives stakeholders more time to respond to proposed changes in intermediary guidelines.
MUMBAI: When the rulebook gets a rewrite, even the internet needs a little extra time to read the fine print. Regulators have extended the deadline for public feedback on a proposed overhaul of India’s digital media and intermediary liability framework, giving stakeholders until April 29 to submit their views. In a notice issued on April 10, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said it was extending the consultation period for draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, following representations from several stakeholders.
At the heart of the proposals is a significant shift in how social media platforms and other intermediaries must respond to government communications. A new provision would make compliance with official “clarifications, advisories, directions, standard operating procedures and guidelines” a formal part of the due diligence obligations required to retain safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act.
The amendments would also expand the scope of content oversight under Part III of the rules. The digital media ethics code would now apply not only to publishers but also to intermediaries hosting or transmitting user-uploaded news and current affairs content. This could bring user-generated news more directly under regulatory scrutiny.
Additionally, the Inter-Departmental Committee’s powers would be broadened, allowing it to take up matters referred directly by the ministry rather than waiting for formal complaints. This signals a more proactive approach to content monitoring.
The existing IT Rules already impose strict requirements on intermediaries, including timely removal of unlawful content, grievance redressal mechanisms, and traceability in certain cases. Recent updates have also introduced obligations around labelling synthetically generated content.
Officials have described the amendments as necessary to create an “Open, Safe, Trusted and Accountable Internet” while improving legal clarity and enforceability.
With the extended deadline now set for April 29, the government has given industry bodies, civil society, and digital platforms additional time to respond to changes that could significantly reshape how online platforms operate and are governed in India.
In the fast-scrolling world of digital regulation, a little extra time to read the small print might just prevent bigger headaches down the line.
