The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 1st December 2023 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Making this Israeli-Palestinian war the last

Why in News?

The Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill released in November by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is part of an arc of endeavours to regulate broadcasting in an integrated manner. The last initiative to take on this ambitious task was back in 2007, in the form of the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill.

• The Information & Broadcasting Ministry released the draft Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2023.

Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill – Key Highlights

• The Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill aims to bring a consolidated legal framework for the broadcasting sector and extend it to OTT content, digital news, and current affairs as well.

Key features of the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2023:

• Single legislative framework: The Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill provides regulatory provisions for various broadcasting services under a single legislative framework. 
  • It seeks to replace the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act of 1995 and other policy guidelines currently governing the broadcasting sector in India.
• Expansion of regulatory ambit: The Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill extends its regulatory purview to encompass broadcasting OTT content, digital news and, current affairs currently regulated through the IT Act, 2000. 
  • It also includes provisions for emerging broadcasting technologies.
• Comprehensive definitions: It provides definitions for contemporary broadcasting terms along with other important technical terms to be defined in the statute for the first time.
• Advisory bodies: It introduces ‘Content evaluation committees’ for self-regulation and ‘Broadcast Advisory Council’ to “advise the central government on programme code and advertisement code violations.
• Penalties: It provides statutory penalties like advisory, warning, censure, or monetary penalties, for operators and broadcasters. 
  • Provision for imprisonment and/or fines is also there, but only for very serious offences, such as obtaining registration with a false affidavit.
  • Monetary penalties and fines are linked to the financial capacity of the entity, taking into account their investment and turnover to ensure fairness and equity.
• Inclusive and accessible: It promotes the use of subtitles, audio descriptors, and sign language. The Bill has a provision for appointing a Disability Grievance officer.
• Infrastructure sharing: It also has provisions for infrastructure sharing among broadcasting network operators and carriage of platform services. 
• Right of Way: The Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill “streamlines the ‘Right of Way’ section to address relocation and alterations more efficiently, and establishes a structured dispute resolution mechanism.

Significance

• Revamping the broadcasting sector: It modernizes the broadcasting sector’s regulatory framework, replacing outdated Acts, Rules, and Guidelines with a unified, future-focused approach.
• Embracing the digital revolution: It adapts to the dynamic world of OTT, Digital Media, DTH, and more, promoting technological advancement and service evolution.