A PRIMER ON THE BROADCASTING SERVICES REGULATION BILL, 2023

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has recently released the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2023(Broadcasting Bill), and put it out for public consultation.

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In the event of the Bill becoming an Act, it shall be a constructive attempt at regulating the new age OTT platforms and creative content over the larger media. The ramifications however have other concerns that need a closer scrutiny. The purpose of centralizing the content and unifying the technological process through this policy framing may not necessarily democratize the paraphernalia of such broadcasting exercise, for it shall render systemic control and state-sponsored scrutiny in its folds.

With the commercialization of global media in the last three decades, India has come to the forefront of such a revolution in terms of content as well as in embracing the technological advancement in the sector. Robertson aptly describes the concept of the changing media landscape as ‘glocalized’, a necessity in times of frailing and fragile state subsidies on the content generated. Thus, every decade brought with it a necessary change and the Government felt the need to finally replace the Cable Television Networks Act with the new Broadcasting Bill, which would perhaps see the light of the day as an Act of Parliament sooner.