A parliamentary panel has urged the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to set a clear deadline for introducing the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill in Parliament. The bill, which was shelved last year following concerns over its potential impact on independent content creators, is once again under discussion.
The recommendation comes from the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, led by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey. It coincides with the government’s upcoming World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), set to take place in Mumbai from May 1-4, where content creators will be in the spotlight.
In its sixth report tabled in the Lok Sabha, the committee emphasized the need for urgency, stating that over three months had passed since the last extension for public and stakeholder consultations. It has called on the MIB to finalize the process and present the bill in Parliament without further delay.
The demand for regulatory clarity has gained momentum, particularly after the Supreme Court recently urged the government to take action on OTT content regulation. The comment came during proceedings involving YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia’s remarks on the comedy show India’s Got Latent.
The MIB informed the committee on January 17 that consultations with stakeholders—extended until October 15, 2024—would be followed by a new draft, which would then undergo inter-ministerial review before being sent to the Cabinet for approval.
The initial draft of the Broadcasting Bill was made public on November 10, 2023, with feedback invited until December 9, later extended to January 15, 2024. A revised version was selectively circulated in July 2024, proposing OTT-like regulatory requirements for all news content creators, even those unaffiliated with traditional media. However, backlash from stakeholders led to its withdrawal in August, with the government committing to a fresh draft after further consultations.
The committee has now pressed for a structured timeline to ensure the bill’s introduction in Parliament at the earliest. Made-in-Media