MIB pushes Centre-State coordination on WAVES 2027, film permissions, cable RoW

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is looking to deepen Centre-State coordination across the media, broadcasting and creative economy sectors, with the implementation of the Right of Way (RoW) mechanism for cable operators, preparations for WAVES 2027 and the adoption of a single-window system for film and live-event permissions emerging as key areas of discussion at a national conference on Tuesday.

The Ministry organised a National Conference of Secretaries of Information and Public Relations Departments of States and Union Territories in New Delhi, bringing together senior officials to discuss the implementation of central initiatives and identify areas where State-level coordination could accelerate the growth of India's creative economy.

Secretary, MIB, Chanchal Kumar, chaired the conference and called for stronger and more structured cooperation between the Centre and States to harness India's creative potential, strengthen public communication and build regional creative ecosystems.

The discussions come at a time when the government is increasingly positioning the creative economy, or "Orange Economy", as an important contributor to employment, investment, entrepreneurship and India's global soft power.

RoW mechanism for cable operators in focus

One of the key issues discussed at the conference was the implementation of the Right of Way mechanism for cable operators by State governments.

For the cable television industry, RoW permissions are critical for laying and maintaining network infrastructure. Greater coordination between State authorities and the central government could help address procedural bottlenecks and facilitate more predictable deployment of cable networks.

The discussion is also significant as India's broadcasting infrastructure increasingly intersects with the wider digital connectivity ecosystem. Streamlining permissions at the State level could improve the ease of doing business for cable operators while supporting the continued expansion and modernisation of distribution infrastructure.

WAVES 2027 roadmap gets Centre-State push

The roadmap for WAVES 2027 was another major area of discussion, with the Ministry seeking greater participation from States and Union Territories in the government's flagship effort to build a global platform for India's media and entertainment and creative industries.

The Ministry also discussed strengthening WAVES Bazaar, with a focus on improving market access for creators, startups and other participants in the creative economy.

According to the Ministry, platforms such as WAVES 2027, WAVES Bazaar, WaveX and the Create in India Challenges can provide creators and startups from different parts of the country access to markets, investors, technology and international partnerships.

The emphasis on greater State participation reflects the government's view that India's creative economy cannot be developed through a single national template.

Chanchal Kumar said States and Union Territories have different cultural strengths, institutional capabilities and pools of regional talent, which need to be leveraged to develop their respective creative economies.

The government is therefore looking at Centre-State collaboration across infrastructure, ease of doing business, capacity building, regional content and the development of local creative ecosystems.

Single-window film permissions on agenda

The conference also discussed the adoption of the Indian Cine Hub (ICH) as a single-window portal for permissions related to film shooting and live events.

The Ministry discussed two-way integration of the Indian Cine Hub and the Film Facilitation Office (FFO) portals. The objective is to improve coordination between the different systems involved in facilitating filming and events and make permissions more efficient for producers and organisers.

A more streamlined permissions architecture could become increasingly important as India seeks to attract domestic and international productions and expand its live-events economy.

The Ministry has also been pushing the ICH as a platform to improve the ease of doing business for the film sector, with State governments playing a critical role because many permissions required for shoots are administered at the local and State levels.

Public broadcasting infrastructure to be expanded

Public Service Broadcasting was another major focus area at the conference.

Discussions covered the expansion of Public Service Broadcasting infrastructure, along with content co-production, State-specific programming and enhanced public outreach.

The Ministry also called for closer coordination between the Press Information Bureau's Regional Offices, State Information and Public Relations Departments, and regional units of Doordarshan and Akashvani.

The objective is to develop more State-specific content and improve the reach of public communication initiatives.

The push for regional programming comes against the backdrop of India's highly diverse media consumption landscape, where local languages, regional cultural identities and State-specific issues play an important role in determining audience engagement.

The Ministry said it remains open to new ideas, State-led initiatives and partnership models that can strengthen public communication and the creative economy.

Waves OTT to promote user-generated creative content

The conference also discussed promoting user-generated creative content on the Waves OTT platform, indicating a broader push to bring creators beyond traditional production houses and established media organisations into the government's digital content ecosystem.

Greater participation by individual creators and regional talent could help the platform build a wider content base while giving creators an additional avenue to showcase their work.

The discussion around user-generated content also fits into the Ministry's wider objective of creating platforms that connect India's creative talent with audiences and markets.

Live events emerge as another growth area

The live-events sector was another area discussed by the officials, with the Ministry looking to strengthen the ecosystem around live entertainment and events.

The adoption of a single-window mechanism through ICH could potentially play a role in reducing the complexity associated with obtaining multiple permissions for large-scale events.

The conference also discussed capacity building and closer institutional coordination to support the sector.

Digital transition for publishing sector

The conference reviewed the transition to the digital framework under the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, through the Press Sewa Portal.

The digital framework is intended to modernise the registration and regulatory processes governing periodicals and reduce dependence on legacy processes.

Capacity building of officers working in State Information and Public Relations departments was also discussed. The Ministry said training could be strengthened through facilities of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC).

The conference additionally discussed strengthening libraries through the supply of books to State governments under the Samagra Shiksha framework.

States seek greater Centre support

Officials from States and Union Territories shared their experiences and concerns regarding the implementation of various Ministry initiatives. Capacity building at the State level emerged as an important requirement, with States seeking greater support through enhanced communication, engagement and regular conferences.

The participating officials also expressed willingness to work more closely with the Ministry to strengthen India's Orange Economy.

Kumar, meanwhile, underlined the potential of the creative economy—which brings together culture, creativity and commerce—to generate employment, attract investment and enhance India's influence globally.

The conference reflects the Ministry's attempt to move towards a more coordinated Centre-State approach to media and creative-economy policy, with national platforms such as WAVES, ICH and Waves OTT increasingly being linked to State-level infrastructure, talent and administrative systems.

For the government, the challenge now will be to translate these discussions into effective State-level implementation, particularly in areas such as film permissions, cable infrastructure, public broadcasting and market access for creators.