Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023

Why in news?

Recently, the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023 was released by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

What are the key features of Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023?

• Aim- To bring a consolidated legal framework for the broadcasting sector.
• Modernization-The Bill seeks to replace Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and other policy guidelines governing the broadcasting sector.
• Extension- It extends the regulatory purview to the OTT content, digital news and current affairs which are currently regulated through Information Technology Act, 2000.
• Regulation- The bill provides regulatory provisions for various broadcasting services under a single legislative framework.
• Adaptability- The bill adapts to the dynamic world of OTT, Digital Media, DTH, IPTV, and more, promoting technological advancement and service evolution.
• Comprehensive - It provides definitions for contemporary broadcasting and other important technical terms for the first time.
• Differentiated approach- It allows for a differentiated approach to Programme and Advertisement Code across various services and requires self-classification by broadcasters and robust access control measures for restricted content.
• Inclusivity- It aims to make broadcasting more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities through the use of subtitles, audio descriptors, and sign language.
• It also has a provision for Disability Grievance Officer.
• Accessibility- It has provisions for infrastructure sharing among broadcasting network operators and carriage of platform services.
• The Bill streamlines the ‘Right of Way’ section to address relocation and alterations more efficiently
• Institutional support-

• Dispute Resolution Mechanism- The bill established a structured mechanism for dispute resolution.
• Penalty- It provides statutory penalties for operators and broadcasters, such as advisory, warning, censure, or monetary penalties.

What are the concerns of the bill?

• Affects autonomy- The regulation could affect the autonomy, as OTT platforms work on a "pull model" where consumers choose the content.
• Impact on content innovation-The stringent and subjective codes could lead to content censorship and affect the audience experience.
• Over regulations- The bill extends the regulatory purview to OTT platforms which are regulated under IT Act.
• Pricing regime- As OTT contents are regulated under the bill, the government may bring the pricing regime for OTT content as it has done for television channels.

References

1. Indian Express- Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023
2. PIB- Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023