Law seeks to regulate DTH platform services

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government is seeking to bring in a law to regulate platform services,  specialised and niche channels, offered by the DTH and cable operators in the country. Under the proposed legislation, there is expected to be mechanism in place wherein cable and DTH operators are likely to be asked to retain a recording of all platform services channel programmes for 90 days and a written log should also be maintained about such programme for one year from the date of broadcast.

The proposal to bring in regulations for these channels was mooted as currently there is no legislation to deal with these channels which are running without any regulatory framework. Sources stated that the Union information and broadcasting ministry is working on a proposal to bring in a regulation to establish norms for these channels which are operating outside the purview of existing laws.

The retaining of these channel programmes for 90 days and a written log is expected to keep a check on piracy and curb broadcast of programmes not deemed fit for telecast, sources added.

While the broadcast TV channels already have such regulations and are monitored at the Electronic Media Monitoring Centre, there is no such meachnism to keep tabs on the platform services, sources added.

The government is understood to have held several rounds of consultation with industry stakeholders and a detailed presentation is expected to be made before the Cabinet soon, sources added.   

It is learnt that the I&B ministry is also seeking to limit the number of platform service channels being operated by each DTH or cable operator.