The Indian government has introduced a new bill that will consolidate the regulatory framework for various broadcasting services, including over-the-top (OTT) content. The bill, once passed, will also regulate streaming giants such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney + Hotstar by setting up content evaluation committees.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur while informing about the new draft legislation on Friday wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Advancing the Honorable Prime Minister's vision for 'Ease of Doing Business' and 'Ease of Living,' we're proud to introduce the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill. This pivotal legislation modernizes our broadcasting sector's regulatory framework, replacing outdated Acts, Rules, and Guidelines with a unified, future-focused approach”
Thakur noted that the new legislation modernizes the broadcasting sector's regulatory framework by replacing outdated acts, rules and guidelines with a ‘futuristic focused approach’. A key component of the new law is establishing 'Content Evaluation Committees' and changing the inter-departmental committee on a ‘Broadcast Advisory Council’, Thakur added.
A new Broadcast Advisory Council will also be setup to advise the government on violations related to advertisement code and programme code. The new coucnil would ge headed by a sectoral expert and will also includes eminent persons and bureaucrats, reported PTI.
A draft document of the new legislation quoted by Reuters read, “Every broadcaster or broadcasting network operator must establish a Content Evaluation Committee (CEC) with members from various social groups,”
The new bill with a particular focus on self-regulatory bodies has provisions where such bodies can penalize their members through monetary and non-monetary penalties for contravention of norms and articles, reported PTI.
The report added that penalties included in the bill include warning, monetary penalties for operators or broadcasters, advisory or censure. The legislation also deals with imprisonment or fines for very serious offences.
Catch all the Industry News, Banking News and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.