Stories
MIB Defends Prasar Bharati Against AIDCF Challenge Over OTT Rules
- •The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting told TDSAT that OTT platforms like Prasar Bharati's WAVES fall outside satellite television uplinking and downlinking rules.
- •The All India Digital Cable Federation had challenged Prasar Bharati's move to onboard linear TV channels onto its WAVES OTT platform.
- •MIB argued that the petition is not maintainable before the tribunal and that OTT services are governed by the Information Technology Act rather than broadcasting regulations.
- •The dispute underscores ongoing regulatory tensions regarding the convergence of traditional broadcasting and digital streaming platforms.
Key Questions Answered
AIDCF challenged Prasar Bharati's notice inviting applications for onboarding linear TV channels on WAVES, arguing it violates Clause 11(3)(f) of the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. They contend OTT platforms do not qualify as recognized distribution platforms permitted to receive signal reception decoders.
The MIB urged TDSAT to dismiss the petition, stating that OTT platforms like WAVES fall outside the scope of satellite TV uplinking and downlinking rules. The ministry argued that OTT services are governed by the IT Act rather than broadcasting permissions and that the dispute falls outside the tribunal's jurisdiction.
The MIB stated that OTT platforms are governed by the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The ministry maintained there is no requirement to create a separate licensing framework for broadcasting content over OTT platforms.
