30 minutes of ‘national interest’ broadcast every day on TV channels mandatory: Central govt’s new guidelines
New Delhi: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has specified in its latest uplinking and downloading rules that TV channels must broadcast content in the national interest or public service for 30 minutes every day.
After nearly 11 years, the central government on Wednesday approved the guidelines for unlinking and downlinking of TV channels in India. In the new guidelines, 30 minutes have been allotted for telecasting of programs of national interest and national importance.
The guidelines indicated that issues of national importance included education and the spread of literacy. Agriculture and rural development, health and family welfare, science and technology, women’s welfare, welfare of weaker sections of the society, environment and protection of cultural heritage and national integration are the topics to be disseminated. Channels like sports channels and other content can modify their content accordingly. The Central Government may issue general instructions to channels from time to time to broadcast content in national interest. It is said that the channel should be followed.
As per the new guidelines, no prior permission is required for live telecast of programmes. Only pre-registration of events is required for live streaming. A channel can be uplinked using the facilities of more than one teleport/satellite as opposed to one teleport/satellite at present.
Speaking to a news agency, Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry Secretary Apoorva Chandra said, “We have released new guidelines after almost 11 years. As per the reforms that we have considered over the years, we have taken the approval of the Union Cabinet,” he said.
The Ministry has made many reforms in terms of ease of doing business. Apoorva Chandra said that 30 minutes time slot for topics of national importance has been given in the new guidelines. For programs of national interest, programs related to women empowerment, education and agriculture will be conducted. We will bring a circular regarding this soon. Before that, we will meet and discuss with all the stakeholders. It is mandatory for all channels to broadcast content for 30 minutes in national interest. However, this is not applicable for sports, wildlife and foreign channels.
