New Delhi: The government is expected to reconsider the controversial provisions of the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, which had raised concerns among online content creators as it sought to lump them together with OTTs or digital news broadcasters. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said on Monday that the government will issue a fresh draft of the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill after detailed consultations.
The draft law was published for consultation in November last year and a revised draft was later shared with selected stakeholders for feedback. An official mentioned that the government might consider revising certain clauses of the draft law due to strong reactions from some media representatives.
Government asks for suggestions until October 15
In a statement, the ministry said: “The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is working on a draft law on the regulation of broadcasting services. The draft law was made public on November 11, 2024, along with explanatory notes for comments from stakeholders and the public.”
“In response, multiple recommendations, comments and suggestions were received, including from several associations. The Ministry is currently conducting a series of consultations with stakeholders on the draft law,” the statement said.
The ministry added that more time will be given until October 15 to solicit comments and suggestions. “A new draft will be published after detailed consultations,” it added.
At a press conference last week, representatives of the DigiPub News India Foundation, which represents over 90 digital news publishers, and the Editors Guild of India criticised the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for holding closed-door consultations with a limited group of stakeholders. They noted that broader discussions with digital media organisations and civil society groups have not yet taken place. They had requested copies of the draft bill from the Ministry but have not received a response.
What’s new in this bill?
The new bill aims to bring YouTube creators under its purview by creating a new category called “digital news broadcaster” and defining it as anyone who broadcasts news and current affairs programmes systematically through various online media.
It also imposes legal obligations on independent creators. If a creator is classified as a digital news broadcaster, he or she must inform the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting about his or her work and existence, and appoint one or more content evaluation committees under his or her responsibility.
What are the penalties in the new bill?
Additionally, creators who fail to inform the government or appoint a content screening committee may face substantial penalties. The bill specifies fines of Rs 50 lakh for the first violation and Rs 2.5 crore for subsequent violations over the next three years.
In addition, some stakeholders could be exempted from the purview of the bill. It is important to note that the Bombay and Madras High Courts had earlier suspended certain rules requiring news and current affairs editors to adhere to a Code of Ethics, citing their negative impact on press freedom.
These proposed regulations have raised concerns and debates about their potential impact on freedom of expression. The implications of these regulations and their potential enforcement remain topics of debate and scrutiny, especially in the tech sector and among legal experts, considering the broader impact on content creators and press freedom.
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