How the Centre plans to regulate content on OTT and digital media

The Centre’s new draft Bill, which seeks to overhaul the regulatory system for the broadcasting sector, expands the scope from traditional services like television — both news and entertainment — to OTT (over-the-top) platforms and digital content, including news programmes (currently regulated through the Information Technology Act, 2000) and other emerging technologies.

The government aims to establish a single legal framework to regulate various broadcasting services in the country through the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2023, the draft of which was released by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for public consultation on November 10. The proposed legislation aims to replace the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, which has been in effect for about three decades, and suggests several new regulations for the sector. These include mandatory registration, the creation of ‘content evaluation committees’ to encourage self-regulation on digital platforms, the establishment of programme and advertisement codes, and a three-tier regulatory mechanism.

The Centre claims that the Bill will enhance ease of doing business, ensure compliance with broadcasting codes, and update the regulatory framework to keep up with the changing needs of the sector. However, the move has raised concerns about freedom of speech and censorship, as digital media faces heightened scrutiny over “obscene and vulgar” content. The Hindu