Stories
TV and Radio Broadcasters Push for Clearer Rules Amid Ad Revenue Pressures
- •India's television and radio broadcasters are pushing for greater regulatory certainty and predictable rules under the Draft Telecom (TV/Radio) Rules, 2026 to combat mounting commercial pressures.
- •Industry stakeholders have called for proportional penalties, statutory timelines, full tariff forbearance, the abolition of carriage fees, and reduced GST rates to ease operational burdens.
- •Data shows linear television and radio advertising revenues have faced declines as streaming platforms gain ground and traditional media struggles to retain ad budgets.
- •While regulatory clarity can improve business operations and planning, advertisers emphasize that increased ad commitments ultimately depend on credible audience reach, targeting, and measurable returns.
Key Questions Answered
The Draft Telecom (TV/Radio) Rules, 2026 seek to consolidate six legacy policy frameworks into a unified regulatory structure under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, with the stated objective of simplifying compliance, improving regulatory clarity, and promoting the ease of doing business for television and radio broadcasters.
Industry stakeholders have called for full tariff forbearance for television channels, the abolition of carriage fees, and a reduction in GST on TV, OTT, and music subscriptions from 18% to 5%. Additionally, radio operators have requested rationalised licence fees, reduced advertising taxes, and a level playing field.
The draft rules establish validity periods of 20 years for television distribution services like DTH and HITS, 15 years for private FM radio operators, and 10 years for television channels, teleports, community radio services, and television news agencies.
