Context

• The Information & Broadcasting Ministry recently released the draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023, which aims to bring a consolidated legal framework for the broadcasting sector and extend it to OTT content, digital news, and current affairs as well.

Need of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023

• This pivotal legislation modernizes our broadcasting sector’s regulatory framework, replacing outdated Acts, Rules, and Guidelines with a unified, future-focused approach.

  

• It adapts to the dynamic world of OTT, Digital Media, DTH, IPTV, and more, promoting technological advancement and service evolution.

What does the new draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2023, entail?

• The Bill essentially 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.
• Moreover, the 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, according to a government source.
• Consisting of six chapters, 48 sections and three Schedules, the Bill provides comprehensive definitions for contemporary broadcasting terms along with other important technical terms to be defined in the statute for the first time.
• It introduces ‘Content evaluation committees’ for self-regulation and ‘Broadcast Advisory Council’ to advise the central government on programme code and advertisement code violations.
• The Bill 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.
• The Bill aims to make broadcasting more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities.
• It promotes the use of subtitles, audio descriptors, and sign language.
• The Bill has a provision for appointing a “Disability Grievance officer”.
• It also 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, and establishes a structured dispute resolution mechanism”.

Source : IE

Visit Abhiyan PEDIA (One of the Most Followed / Recommended) for UPSC Revisions: Click Here

IAS Abhiyan is now on Telegram: Click on the Below link to Join our Channels to stay Updated 

IAS Abhiyan Official: Click Here to Join

For UPSC Mains Value Edition (Facts, Quotes, Best Practices, Case Studies): Click Here to Join