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Source: The post is based on the article “I&B Ministry issues advisory on private TV channels’ ‘public service broadcasting’ obligation” published in The Hindu on 31st January 2023.
What is the News?
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has issued fresh advisories with respect to the Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels in India,2022. Through the advisory, the Ministry has clarified certain points of the guidelines.
What are the key provisions of the Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels in India,2022?
National Interest Content: From March 1, 2023, all private television channels will be required to air national interest content for 15 hours every month.
– The national interest content can be embedded in the programmes being telecast, and the content need not be of 30 minutes at a stretch.
– The transmission of such content would be flexible, except that any content transmitted from midnight to 6 a.m. would not be accounted for under the public service broadcasting obligation.
– The content could include the themes of education and the spread of literacy; agriculture and rural development; health and family welfare; science and technology; the welfare of women and the weaker sections of society; protection of environment and cultural heritage; and national integration.
Sharing of content: The national interest content can be shared between the broadcasters and telecast repeatedly on one or several TV channels.
– A common e-platform can also be developed as a repository of relevant videos or textual content from various sources for access and use.
Keeping the record of the content telecast: The broadcasters are required to keep a record of the content telecast for a period of 90 days.
– The government requires the broadcasters to submit a monthly report online on the Broadcast Seva Portal.
Exemptions from telecasting National Interest Content: This condition applies to all channels except those mentioned specifically as exempt.
– These include wildlife channels and foreign channels, besides live telecasts in the case of sports channels.
– Channels broadcasting more than 12 hours of devotional/spiritual/yoga content are exempt from furnishing monthly reports.
