The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Thursday issued an advisory to television channels, asking them to refrain from providing any platform to persons who are charged with serious crimes including terrorism or belonging to organizations proscribed by law.

“The advisory has been issued in light of a recent discussion on a television channel of a person in a foreign country against whom there are serious cases of crime including terrorism, belonging to an organization which has been proscribed by law in India. During the discussion the person had made several comments which are detrimental to the sovereignty/integrity of the country, security of India, friendly relations of India with a foreign state and also have the potential of disturbing public order in the country,” the MIB stated. 

The Ministry categorically stated that the Government upholds media freedom and respects its rights under theConstitution, but at the same time, the content telecast by TV channels must adhere to the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 including sub section (2) of Section 20.

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, at the age of 92, is set to step down from his role as chairman of the board at both Fox Corp and News Corp effective in November. He will assume the honorary position of chairman emeritus at each company. In this transition, his son, Lachlan Murdoch, will become the sole chairman of News Corp., while continuing his role as Fox Corp.'s executive chair and CEO.

Rupert Murdoch, in a message to employees, assured that both companies are in robust health, and he himself remains in good shape. He expressed optimism about the future, emphasizing the ongoing battle for freedom of speech and thought.

Murdoch's departure coincides with the upcoming US presidential elections, a year ahead of schedule. News Corp. owns prominent newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal and New York Post, while Fox Corp. encompasses right-leaning TV networks Fox News and Fox Business.

Rupert Murdoch's career spans nearly seven decades, starting in 1954 when he assumed control of News Limited, which owned Adelaide's No. 2 newspaper. He expanded his media empire, including the acquisition of British tabloids and ventures in the U.S. television industry. Notably, the launch of Fox News Channel in 1996 under his leadership became a top-rated cable network.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a pre-consultation paper asking inputs for formulation of "National Broadcasting Policy". 

TRAI has shared that in line with the existing National Digital Communications Policy – 2018, the possible structure of ‘National Broadcasting Policy’ may be as follows- Preamble, Vision, Mission and Objectives. The authority said that against each objective, possible goals and the probable strategies for achieving those goals needs to be identified. 

According to TRAI, the policy is required to address the broadcasting sector in a comprehensive manner. It should deal with all the aspects related to content certation, content delivery/ distribution, assimilation, introduction of new technologies and role of different institutions for the growth of the sector. It has to appropriately look into aspects of capacity building, skilling, future institutional framework etc. An analysis of global best practices may also help in defining various aspects of the policy. 

TRAI also mentioned that at this stage, it is important to identify the broad issues for consideration/ comments. While a comprehensive list of issues will be worked out after receipt of comments and stakeholder interactions, following broad contours may require to be inter-alia included/ addressed in the proposed policy: 

Objectives

1. Ensuring affordable and universal reach of Broadcasting
2. Establishing India as a global Content Hub: a. Creation of global content in India b. Promoting Indian content globally c. Establishing/ enhancing institutional capacity for content creation or processing.
3. Developing state-of-the-art R&D infrastructure for broadcasting sector in India. Enabling Next Generation Technologies and Services through Investments, Innovation, Indigenous Manufacturing. Leveraging Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and cloud services technologies. Separate fund for R&D and establishment of Centre for Excellence for Broadcasting sector.
4. Capacity Building and Promoting Skill Development for broadcasting Sector in India. Training/ Re-skilling human resources for building New Age Skill. Promoting IndustryAcademia-Government partnerships to develop capacity and skills in line with future technological needs.

Broad Issues for Consideration

1. Public Service Broadcasting in India
   a) Requirement, Relevance and Review b) Support and Validation c) Content Priority d) Mandatory Sharing of television programmes e) Enhance global reach 

2. Policy and Regulation

Simplifying policy & regulatory framework and adopt coherent and modernized approach for different types of Broadcasting services: o Satellite Broadcasting o Terrestrial television Broadcasting o Radio Broadcasting o Print media o Digital Media • An intermediary • Publisher of online curated content

3.  Other Specific Issues for comments / suggestions: 

a) Promotion of Local Content: Enhancing and incentivizing demonstration of India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage through television programmes including festivals, music, dance, art, literature, food, education, sports and more for cultural preservation and expansion. 

b)Piracy and Content Security: Putting in place framework for systematic and legal redressal for piracy and copyright. To devise a multi-layer framework of security to address cyber attacks, hacking by vested interests and other security issues. To enable measures for location-free access and transmission of programmes for broadcasting sector using cloud storage.

c). Technology Innovation & Standardization: To promote conducive environment for experimentation and innovations in the space of broadcasting technology. Establishing a broadcasting Standard Development Organization as an autonomous body with effective participation of the government, industry, R&D centres, service providers, and academia to drive consensus regarding standards to meet national requirements including security needs and interoperability to avoid ewaste. 

d) Separate Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting: Currently Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) regulates the Television Broadcasting Sector. TRAI regulates both the Telecommunications and the Broadcasting sector. It is understood that stakeholders have made submissions for having a specific regulator for Broadcasting sector. Accordingly, it is to explore the need for a separate regulator for broadcasting services and if yes, the suggested statutory and organisational structure of such regulator.

e)Robust grievance redressal mechanism: Ensuring adherence to Program Code and Advertisement Code. Establishing effective institutional mechanisms to protect consumers’ interests including Ombudsman and centralized web-based complaint redressal system. 

f) Role of Broadcasting during Disaster: Framing and enforcing standard operating procedures to be followed during disasters and natural calamities, including sectoral guidelines for disaster response and recovery. Broadcasting to be used as rapid dissemination of early warning disaster notifications. viii. Audience Measurement System: Essential to ensure transparent and credible audience measurement system. Framing of guiding principles for viewership rating framework in India.

Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) segment: Develop, support and unleash the scope and reach of AVGC sector in India to become a torch bearer of “Create in India” and “Brand India”.

In a letter dated July 13, 2023, MIB has requested TRAI to give its considered inputs under Section 11 of the TRAI Act, 1997 for formulation of the National Broadcasting Policy. In its letter, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has mentioned that the broadcast policy needs to identify the vision of a functional, vibrant and resilient broadcasting sector which can project India's diverse culture and rich heritage and help India's transition to a digital and empowered economy. 

“In the light of the potentialities and intersection with national goals, a National Broadcasting Policy stipulating the vision, mission, strategies and the action points could set the tone for a planned development and growth of the Broadcasting sector in the country in the era of new and emerging technologies,” said MIB. 

TRAI said that with this background, a pre-consultation is being done with all the stakeholders to elicit the issues which are required to be considered for formulation of "National Broadcasting Policy". TRAI said that written comments on the pre-consultation paper are invited from the stakeholders by October 10, 2023. 

The MIB has sought inclusion of the issue of granting autonomy to TV distributors in bouquet formation in a TRAI consultation paper, media networks have reported.

The consultation paper titled "Review of Regulatory Framework for Broadcasting and Cable Services" was released on August 8.

https://www.exchange4media.com/media-tv-news/review-of-broadcasting-cable-services-rules-trai-extends-deadline-to-submit-comments-129538.html

The ministry has written to the TRAI Secretary to consider AIDCF's request for allowing TV distributors the autonomy to break broadcast bouquets.

As per a report, TRAI's legal team is studying the MIB letter and is set to decide after consideration of the legal opinion.

In November last year, TRAI came out with the third amendment in the tariff order, putting a ceiling of Rs 19 per TV channel for inclusion in bouquet among other provisions. Issues have been raised on the order by distribution platform operators (DPOs) and local cable operators (LCOs). Some were addressed and some still remained.

https://www.exchange4media.com/media-tv-news/trai-issues-consultation-paper-for-reviewing-broadcast-cable-service-regulatory-framework-129036.html

An emergency meeting of members of the Broadcast Editors Association, the apex body of editors of national and regional television news channels across the country, was held on September 19.

Under the chairmanship of Supriya Prasad, News Director of 'Aaj Tak', 'Good News Today' and 'India Today', several resolutions were passed unanimously in this meeting held at India Today Group Mediaplex located at FC-8 in Film City Sector 16A, Noida. .

At the meeting, the Broadcast Editors Association condemned the recent decision of the opposition alliance 'Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance' (I.N.D.I.A.) to boycott 14 prominent TV anchors. The Broadcast Editors Association said,”By taking such a decision, the opposition alliance has not only put the lives of our journalists and anchors at risk, but has also displayed intolerance. We demand immediate withdrawal of this list keeping in mind the well-established democratic principles.”

In this meeting, President of 'Broadcast Editors Association' Supriya Prasad, Rahul Kanwal, Amitabh, Navika Kumar, Sanjeev Paliwal, Rajneesh Ahuja, Aishwarya Kapoor, Abhishek Kapoor, Deepak Chaurasia, Sukesh Ranjan, Sumit Awasthi, Rubika Liaquat, Amish Devgan, Anil Singh. Many well-known journalists including Sant Prasad Rai, Sanjay Bragta, Sudhir Chaudhary, Gaurav Sawant and Snehanshu Shekhar participated.

Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA) has called for an “urgent” meeting to discuss reports that 11 chief ministers who are part of the I.N.D.I.A alliance are considering to stop advertising on some TV channels that they believe are pro-BJP.

The BEA's General Body meeting is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 19th September, 2023 at 14:00 hrs at India Today Group Mediaplex.

“The recent decision of India Alliance to boycott certain journalists forced us to meet on urgent basis.  Therefore, this meeting is called on very short notice,” stated an invite sent out by BEA President Supriya Prasad.

The agenda of the meeting, according to the invite, is: to discuss election for the new executive committee of BEA, to discuss ban on few Journalists by INDIA and any other issue with the permission of the President.

After a month-long wait, BARC on Monday evening finally fixed the price for Respondent Level Data at Rs 15 lakh per annum for the broadcasters. The news has been shared with exchange4media by highly placed sources in the industry.

As of now, only agencies have access to Respondent Level Data at a cost of Rs 60 lakh per annum. exchange4media had earlier reported that BARC was planning to make the Respondent Level Data available to broadcasters at a more reasonable price compared to what agencies pay for it. Suggestions for the price at which the data should be made available to broadcasters was shared with the BARC board members for approval last week.

The details of the price were shared by BARC with broadcasters on Monday evening.

In a letter written to broadacsters, BARC said Respondent Level Data (RLD) will be made available weekly to broadcasters, starting with the data of Week 40, on 12th October 2023.

“BARC India is pleased to announce that Respondent Level Data (RLD) will be made available weekly to Broadcasters, starting with the data of Week 40, on 12th October 2023. Like the currency data, RLD will also be released every Thursday by 2 PM to subscribers of this data,” it stated.

“The RLD provided will adequately be anonymised to maintain the integrity of panel homes, not include OOH data and have Individual level data but not Household level information,” read the letter.

The letter further stated:

RLD is the final validated viewership and has demographic details of each panellist which is aggregated in YUMI in order to produce the final published audience estimates. The data enables end-users to link a particular panellist, or group of panellists, to understand how their viewing may have evolved over time with respect to a channel, or their competition. This will be possible since they will have the ability to view the viewership details, panellist by panellist, at a minute-by-minute level.

The individual level RLD will be released simultaneously in three component parts every week:

1. Demographic Files - which provide a unique anonymised ID for each panellist along with their demographics and the daily weights which they have been assigned.

2. Viewership File - which provides for each panellist their viewing for each day of the week, in particular, which channels were viewed and at what times of the day.

3. Playout File- which provides the playout data for each channel across all minutes of the week (as it currently appears in YUMI).