No New Draft For Broadcasting Bill, MIB Confirms: Report

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has decided against releasing a new draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, according to media reports. Official sources from MIB indicated that there is no current need for such legislation.

Previously, the Ministry had planned to issue a revised draft following mixed feedback on the existing draft, particularly regarding the proposal to regulate online content creators through licensing or registration. MIB had been holding consultations with stakeholders, extending the deadline for feedback to 15 October 2024 with plans to publish a new draft after these consultations.

Media sources revealed that the government is now focusing on a Digital India Act to address any further issues, rather than pursuing a new draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill.

Newly appointed I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who assumed office in June has expressed reservations about the bill and reportedly criticised the drafting process, according to sources.

The initial draft of the bill was made public on 10 November 2023 with explanatory notes inviting stakeholders and public feedback. The second draft shared with select stakeholders faced criticism from social media creators, politicians and industry professionals. This version proposed extending regulations to independent news creators on platforms like YouTube, Instagram and X, broadening its scope beyond OTT content and digital news.

The latest draft of the Bill aimed to create a unified legal framework to regulate the broadcasting sector including OTT platforms and online creators by overhauling existing policies. It is designed to replace key regulations from the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act of 1995.

The bill requires OTT broadcasting service operators and digital news broadcasters to notify the government of their operations including subscriber and viewer numbers within one month of the Act's publication. Additionally, social media intermediaries are required to ensure compliance with all Act requirements.