MIB unveils unified broadcast rules, leaves OTTs out of scope

MUMBAI: The government appears to have changed channels on broadcasting reform keeping the wiring, but leaving the streaming wars for another day. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has released the draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026, proposing a sweeping overhaul of India’s broadcasting regulations through a single framework covering television, radio and distribution platforms.

The draft rules seek to bring together a maze of legacy regulations governing television channels, teleports, Direct-to-Home (DTH) operators, Headend-in-the-Sky (HITS) platforms, FM radio stations, community radio services, IPTV providers and news agencies under a unified authorisation regime.

In many ways, the proposal revives the administrative consolidation agenda that underpinned the shelved Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023. But notably, it avoids some of the most contentious issues that triggered industry pushback particularly the regulation of OTT streaming platforms and digital news publishers.

At the centre of the framework is a common authorisation structure for broadcasters and distribution operators, replacing the service-specific guidelines that have evolved over decades. Existing operators will be permitted to migrate to the new system without paying migration fees.

One of the most significant changes concerns IPTV services. Under the draft rules, telecom operators authorised under telecom laws and registered multi-system operators (MSOs) will be able to offer IPTV through a simple declaration process, eliminating the need for a separate broadcasting authorisation. The move is expected to lower regulatory barriers and potentially accelerate IPTV adoption across existing telecom and cable networks.

The draft also introduces greater transparency requirements around television channel distribution. Broadcasters will be required to disclose landing page channel placements to both the government and registered television audience measurement agencies, a provision that could influence ongoing debates around channel visibility and television ratings.

Public service obligations have also been strengthened. Television broadcasters will need to air at least 30 minutes of public service programming daily between 6 am and 11 pm, covering areas such as education, agriculture, healthcare, science and technology, women’s welfare, environmental protection, cultural heritage and national integration.

Private FM radio stations, meanwhile, will be required to broadcast at least one hour of public service content every day, while ensuring that 20 per cent of their daily programming consists of local content.

For radio operators, the rules largely preserve the status quo. Private FM stations will continue to be barred from producing independent news bulletins and may only carry unaltered content sourced from Akashvani. However, the framework provides greater clarity around permissible content categories, including weather updates, traffic information, sports updates and public service announcements.

Ownership and security norms also remain largely unchanged. Existing cross-media ownership restrictions applicable to broadcasters, DTH operators and HITS platforms continue, while security clearances for authorised entities and key personnel remain mandatory. Any ownership changes resulting in a transfer of control will still require prior government approval.

Yet the biggest story may lie in what the draft does not include.

Unlike the Broadcasting Services Bill, which sought to extend regulatory oversight to OTT platforms once they crossed specified subscriber thresholds, the new framework contains no such provisions. Digital news publishers, websites, social media-based news operations and internet broadcasting networks have also been left outside its ambit.

The omission suggests the government has chosen to separate two objectives that were previously bundled together: simplifying regulations for traditional broadcasting services and expanding content oversight into the digital ecosystem.

For now, the draft rules move decisively on the first front while leaving the second unresolved. Whether that signals a permanent policy shift or simply a pause in a longer regulatory journey remains an open question. What is clear, however, is that India’s broadcasting rulebook may soon be getting a major rewrite just not for the internet.