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Dedicated policy required for development of broadcasting sector, says Koan Advisory report

Koan Advisory Group, a New Delhi-based consulting firm, has published a report named 'Indian TV Broadcasting at a Crossroads: An Assessment of Regulatory Outcomes and the Way Forward', which analyses regulatory bottlenecks that afflict India's broadcasting sector and ways to remove them

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Dedicated policy required for development of broadcasting sector, says Koan Advisory report

New Delhi-based consulting firm Koan Advisory Group has published a report named ‘Indian TV Broadcasting at a Crossroads: An Assessment of Regulatory Outcomes and the Way Forward’.

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The 32-page report analyses the regulatory bottlenecks that afflict India’s broadcasting sector and ways to remove them.

The report proposes a three-step reform process, which includes preparing a policy document that outlines objectives and an amendment to or the replacement of the Cable Television Act (CTN), 1995. It also calls for a robust mechanism which helps enforce quality of service (QoS) regulations for Indian consumers.

The report says that a broadcasting policy can streamline the efforts of various agencies, which regulate the TV sector. It could outline a roadmap towards sectoral development to reorient regulatory approach towards consumer welfare. Such a policy could accelerate a phased implementation of new and efficient technologies and efforts to enhance sectoral hygiene and transparency, among other objectives.

The report closely analyses lacunae in the CTN Act and suggest that the legislation either be reoriented to address QoS concerns, or be replaced with a new one that is specific to the TV sector. It says the terms used in the Programme Code and Advertising Code are “vague” and open to wide interpretations. “For a level playing field”, content standards in the broadcasting sector should not be more prescriptive than other mediums. Rule 6 of the Programme Code should be reviewed and liberalised to arrive at medium-agnostic common minimum standards,” it said.

Other recommendations of the report include the setting up of a specialised body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, “to monitor implementation of QoS and interconnection regulations at the last-mile”. “Alternatively, a co-regulatory or self-regulatory body, formed by industry participants, can maintain requisite oversight,” the report added.

“TRAI Interconnection Regulations provide for a technical audit to assess capabilities of addressable systems and a subscription audit to verify monthly reports filed by distributors and broadcasters.” The authors recommend one of the two models above for the subscription and/or technical audit. The report underlines that “the above two cases are preferable if the CTN Act is retained. If a sector-specific legislation is the adopted approach, a sector-specific regulator could also be institutionalised.”

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Koan Advisory report
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