Regulators
TRAI releases its 2013 report card
MUMBAI: The year 2013 saw the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) cracking its whip on the broadcasters as well as every other party within the industry for its betterment. It released several papers and regulations in order to do so. The Regulator that released its activity report for the year gone by as the New Year kicked off, said that consumer interest has been one of its main mandates.
To ensure good consumer experience, in 2013, TRAI amended ‘standards of quality of service (duration of ads in TVs)” of 2004. And what came into effect was the regulation that restricts advertising air time to 12 minutes for a clock hour. The regulator says that this practice is not uncommon in several countries and also goes along with the provisions of the Cable TV Network Rules (1994). “Excessive advertisement adversely affects the quality of viewing experience of the consumer. The objective behind the issue of these regulations was to ensure a better quality of experience for the consumer,” says the TRAI’s activity paper.
But even after this amendment, not all the broadcasters have been following it and the current fate of the ad cap is in a limbo. Several broadcasters have even challenged it in the Delhi High Court including the News Broadcasters Association (NBA). When channels openly did not follow the rule, TRAI started prosecuting them for it. Complaints were filed against 14 broadcasters for non compliance with the regulation. With this, TRAI disappointed many channels as the regulation came at a time when advertising rates were dipping and digitisation had not even entered phase II.
TRAI also came up with The Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Tariff Orders for cable TV and DTH services that provides standard tariff packs for supply and installation of STBs to consumers in DAS areas and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) to DTH consumers.
When India’s oldest DTH operator, Dish TV went to the regulator for extension of its 10 year licence that was to expire on 30 September, it woke up to the fact there were no guidelines/rules on extension. The new consultation paper is reportedly coming out this month and meanwhile Dish TV has been allowed to continue on its existing terms and conditions.
The issue of media ownership was also addressed with the Regulator coming out with a consultation paper that discussed points related to ownership of a media outlet, disqualification from the media sector and rules for mergers and acquisitions in the sector. Media monopoly issues were also taken up when the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) asked TRAI to examine whether there was a requirement of restrictions on MSOs and LCOs to prevent them from monopolising cable TV markets.
The TAM brouhaha that saw adamant broadcasters unsubscribe to its ratings system led to the TRAI coming up with its guidelines defining parameters for ratings agencies and ratings systems.
Major steps were taken to strengthen the process of digitsation. Multi-system Operators (MSOs) and Local Cable Operators (LCOs) were ordered to bring a proper subscriber management system (SMS) in place and disconnect signals for those whose details were not entered.
Pay TV channels were asked to have written interconnect agreements with MSOs. One of the provisions that protected broadcasters was that an MSO could not demand signals for a particular channel under the ‘must provide’ clause and ask for carriage fee.
As India is progressing towards digitisation, a la carte channels should also be available along with packages, so that subscribers can opt for either a la carte or bouquets or a combination of both. 14 LCOs and a MSO were also taken to court for not following DAS regulations.
I&B Ministry
Government proposes scrapping film certification fast-track scheme
Priority route may be dropped to end queue-jumping and restore fairness
NEW DELHI: The government is set to press pause on the fast lane for film certification. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed scrapping the Priority Scheme under the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024, a move that could end the practice of paying extra to move a film ahead in the queue.
In a public notice issued on 16 February, the ministry invited stakeholder comments on the proposal, with the consultation window open until 17 March.
The Priority Scheme, introduced in 2024, allowed filmmakers to request expedited certification by paying three times the standard examination fee. Under the rules, priority applications could be slotted ahead of regular submissions, effectively reshuffling the order of scrutiny.
What began as a provision for exceptional urgency, the ministry says, has gradually become business as usual. The result has been longer waits for films in the regular queue and concerns about fairness in what is meant to be a statutory, rule-based process.
Officials have flagged the risk of a two-tier system, where producers with deeper pockets could buy speed while smaller or independent filmmakers were left waiting their turn. The proposed amendment aims to remove that imbalance by restoring a single, orderly queue for all applicants.
If approved, the changes would remove the rule that permits priority screening upon payment of higher fees, as well as the provision that allows regional officers to alter the order of examination based on such requests. In effect, every film would move through certification strictly according to its place in line, unless a separate exceptional mechanism is introduced later.
For big-budget producers, the shift may mean factoring in longer lead times before release. Marketing campaigns, festival slots and box office calendars that once relied on a quick certification turnaround may need more careful planning.
Independent filmmakers, on the other hand, could find the playing field a little more level. Without a pay-to-fast-forward option, the queue may become slower for some, but fairer for all.
The government says the move is meant to restore equity, improve predictability and strengthen the integrity of the certification process. Whether removing the fast-track option reduces bottlenecks or simply redistributes the delays will depend on how efficiently the regular pipeline is managed in the months ahead.
