PremiumThe Central government on Wednesday approved the guidelines for the uplinking and downlinking of TV channels in India after around 11 years. In the new guidelines, the programmes of national interest and national importance would be given a 30 minutes time slot for the broadcast.
The consolidated guidelines are aimed at easing issues regarding permissions to the companies/ LLPs registered in India for uplinking and downlinking of TV Channels, setting up of Teleports/ Teleport Hubs, use of Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG)/ Satellite News Gathering (SNG)/ Electronic News Gathering (ENG) systems, uplinking by Indian news agencies and temporary uplinking of a live event.
The last time such guidelines were amended was 11 years back in 2011.
As per the new guidelines, no prior permission for live telecast of events would be needed; only prior registration of events to be telecast live would be necessary.
A channel can be uplinked by using facilities of more than one teleport/ satellite as against only one teleport/satellite at present.
Speaking with news agency ANI, secretary at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Apurva Chandra said, “We have released the new guidelines after around 11 years. We've taken the approval of the Union Cabinet, as per the improvement we have considered over the years"
Apurva Chandra also said that the ministry has made multiple improvements in terms of ease of doing business.
Apurva Chandra also said that a provision to give a 30-minute time slot of the things of national importance has been given in the new guidelines.
For the programmes concerning national interest, programmed related to women empowerment, teaching and agriculture would be run.
“We have kept a provision that a 30-min slot should be given for things of national importance or national interest; seven-right themes have been given for the same - women empowerment, agriculture, teaching," Apurva Chandra said, adding, “So given the obligations to broadcast this, this is a new thing we will be consulting the channels will come out with more detailed guidelines."
The I&B secretary said, “We have tried to bring everyone on a level-playing field."