MIB To Meet Stakeholders On NBP Post TRAI Recommendations

The National Broadcast Policy (NBP) has been ongoing for nearly a year and discussions continue unabated. Following TRAI's recent recommendations, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) will now meet with stakeholders—including broadcasters, cable operators, broadband providers, DTH operators and content producers—to gather their views and objections before finalising the policy. 

Starting in mid-July, the ministry will hold separate meetings with each department to discuss the TRAI recommendations.

TRAI issued a pre-consultation and consultation paper to gather stakeholders' views and held an open-house discussion with them in May. On June 20, TRAI released its recommendations on the National Broadcast Policy, emphasising the need for a transparent, credible and technologically advanced audience measurement system. However, several industry observers criticised the recommendations for not addressing issues like creative freedom, a level playing field and the regulation of OTT and DD Free Dish.

TRAI recommended a multiple rating system with government intervention to ensure transparency in audience measurement. However, experts have called for more clarity on capturing diverse demographics, including rural and underserved areas, providing a comprehensive view of audience preferences and implementing robust data protection measures to safeguard consumer privacy during data collection. 

On September 21, 2023, TRAI issued a pre-consultation paper to identify key issues for the formulation of the National Broadcasting Policy.

Stakeholders were invited to submit written comments on the pre-consultation paper by October 10, 2023, a deadline later extended to November 7, 2023, upon their request. TRAI received 28 comments from various associations, companies, service providers, individuals and consumer advocacy groups. After examining the issues raised in these submissions and discussions from various meetings across the country, TRAI issued a Consultation Paper titled 'Inputs for Formulation of National Broadcasting Policy-2024' on April 2, 2024. 

On May 15, TRAI held an open house discussion with industry stakeholders, where issues such as creative freedom and a level playing field were highlighted. The discussion revealed contrasting views on the existing audience measurement system for linear and OTT platforms, with some stakeholders arguing that BARC suffices to prevent confusion and conflicts of interest.

Meanwhile, some stakeholders advocated for multiple agencies to ensure accuracy. During the OHD, the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF) argued that the existing audience measurement agency, BARC was sufficient, warning that introducing more agencies could create bigger problems. In contrast, some news broadcasters contended that BARC was inadequate for news ratings and that the news genre deserved more focused attention.

Seeking a level playing field for all stakeholders, IBDF urged TRAI to ensure freedom for content creators and to prevent broadcasters from facing undue pressure. 

During the discussion, held in the presence of TRAI Chairman A K Lahoti, some stakeholders urged the regulator to suggest to the MIB "how to ensure we attract private investment into the sector and how to protect the investments already made". "India cannot lose the cable industry, which is providing jobs to thousands of people," one stakeholder had said, noting that the number of cable TV subscribers was declining, adding that the policy should ensure a level playing field for all.

However, some experts noted that people have moved away from cable due to the quality of content. They called for an environment that enables creators to push the boundaries of art and ensures support for high-quality content.

A representative of a major broadcaster submitted that TRAI should ensure the policy addresses the long-standing need for a sustainable public-private partnership model in the media and entertainment industry.