TRAI releases recommendations on ‘Inputs for formulation of National Broadcasting Policy-2024’

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has today released recommendations on ‘Inputs for formulation of National Broadcasting Policy-2024’.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), vide its letter dated 13^th July 2023 has requested TRAI to provide its considered inputs under Section 11 of the TRAI Act, 1997 for formulation of National Broadcasting Policy.

As a first step, TRAI issued a Pre-Consultation Paper on 21^st September 2023, to elicit the issues which were required to be considered for the formulation of National Broadcasting Policy. Based on the comments received from and discussion held with stakeholders, TRAI released the Consultation Paper on ‘Inputs for formulation of National Broadcasting Policy-2024’ on 2^nd April 2024. The Consultation Paper identified the focus areas and raised 20 questions seeking comments of the stakeholders. TRAI received comments from 42 stakeholders including service providers, organizations, industry associations, consumer advocacy groups and few individuals.

The Open House Discussion (OHD) was held on 15^th May 2024. Certain additional comments were also received post OHD. The comments, OHD submissions and the additional comments have been analysed and duly considered while framing the recommendations to the Government.

The broadcasting sector is a sunrise sector having huge potential to contribute towards the growth of the Indian economy. The recommendations on inputs for formulation of the broadcasting policy has stipulated the vision, mission, goals and strategies for the planned development and growth of the broadcasting sector in the country in the era of emerging technologies.

The objective of the policy is to facilitate the growth of the sector with quick adoption of the emerging technologies for providing an immersive and enriching experience to the consumers in a cost-effective manner, while safeguarding the interest of the stakeholders involved in the broadcasting sphere. Achieving these goals necessitates collaboration among the key stakeholders viz. the central and state governments, local governments and agencies, television and radio broadcasters, OTT service providers, content creators, distributors, equipment manufacturers, academia, research institutes, industry including startups and small and medium enterprises.

The Authority has recommended the following Vision, Mission and Goals for the National Broadcasting Policy-2024.

Vision

To foster a competitive, affordable and ubiquitous ecosystem for sustained growth of the broadcasting sector, catering to the diverse needs of consumers that facilitates quality content creation, promotes democratic values and cultural diversity, enables inclusivity and literacy, attracts investments, safeguards intellectual property, develops resilient indigenous infrastructure, adopts emerging technologies, generates employment and drives socio-economic development through innovation and collaboration for strengthening India’s soft image and positioning ‘Brand India’ globally.

Mission

In pursuit of establishing India a global leader in the broadcasting sector, this policy intends to target broad roadmap for 10 years with special focus on the next 5 years. The National Broadcasting Policy-2024, envisages to achieve the following:

1. Propelling Growth

• Establishing a robust broadcasting ecosystem by enabling growth-oriented policies and regulations through data-driven governance.
• Supporting creation of a resilient, adaptive and tech-agile infrastructure fostering R&D, technology innovation and indigenous manufacturing.
• Facilitating level-playing field and healthy competition; promoting ease of doing business and stimulating economic growth by enabling the reach of broadcasting services to all, positioning India as an ‘Uplinking Hub’ for television channels, attracting investments, generating employment opportunities and promoting skill development.

2.  Promoting Content

• Supporting quality content production and distribution for television, radio and OTT broadcasting services, encouraging proliferation of Indian content, both locally and globally, by harnessing the power of emerging broadcasting technologies and making India a ‘Global Content Hub’.
• Establishing India as a preferred destination for content creation.
• Enabling quality content production in public service broadcasting to inform, educate and entertain the masses.
• Promoting and facilitating the growth of Indian content through films, animation, visual effects, gaming, music and state-of-the-art post-production infrastructure.

3.  Protecting Interests

• Combating piracy and safeguarding the rights of content creators and intellectual property holders through copyright protection.
• Fulfilling social responsibilities by ensuring awareness and enabling provisions for disseminating information to all strata of society; and environmental responsibilities through green broadcasting practices and disaster preparedness.

Goals

1. Propelling Growth: Establishing a robust broadcasting ecosystem

1. Measure sector’s performance based on various key economic parameters to enable data-driven policy decisions
2. Enable reach and access of television broadcasting services to uncovered households
3. Enable radio coverage in uncovered areas
4. Promote R&D and secure IPR in broadcasting sector
5. Promote manufacturing and adoption of new technologies including indigenous broadcasting technologies and equipment
6. Employment generation, bolstered up through training and upskilling for providing New Age Skills to the workforce
7. Encourage innovation-led startups and empower Small and Medium Enterprises
8. Foster conducive policies and regulatory practices for economic growth
9. Make India an ‘Uplinking Hub’ of television channels
10. Leverage digital terrestrial broadcasting as a complimentary broadcasting technology
11. Establish effective audience measurement and rating system

2. Promoting Content: Encouraging Indian content outreach at global stage

1. Establish India as a hub for content creation
2. Strengthen Public Service Broadcasting
3. Facilitate content proliferation through Digital Radio Broadcasting
4. Support growth and proliferation of Indian Content through OTT broadcasting services
5. Support Indian Content production through films, animation, visual effects, gaming and music

3. Protecting Interests: Safeguarding rights of content creator and leveraging broadcasting services for protecting socio-environmental interests of the society

1. Enforce content security through copyright protection
2. Address social and environmental responsibilities
3. Recognize the role of broadcaster during disasters

To achieve each goal, a number of strategies have been recommended, the details of which are available in the recommendations placed on TRAI’s website www.trai.gov.in.