The Indian government has proposed a single rulebook for television, radio, and DTH services under the Telecom Act. The draft rules aim to consolidate six existing policy frameworks into a unified set of regulations.
The proposed rules seek to simplify the system for broadcasters, replacing multiple guidelines and permissions with a single harmonised set of rules. The draft has been placed in the public domain for consultation, and comments can be submitted till July 27.
Under the new rules, television channels will continue to be required to air at least 30 minutes of public-interest programming every day, while private FM radio stations will be required to broadcast at least one hour of programming each day on themes of national importance and social relevance.
The draft rules also require broadcasters to notify the government of changes in shareholding, foreign investment, and key management personnel, while entities in sensitive segments such as news broadcasting would continue to be subject to security-clearance requirements.
