The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has decided to grant foreign news channels a licence for Rs 1 lakh a year, freeing them up from having to seek permission to uplink for specific events.
Prasar Bharati’s interests are also being protected for the corporation will get terrestrial rights for important sports events whether or not it has bid for them. The Government will continue to determine which event is important.
This provision will be incorporated in the Uplinking Guidelines that the Ministry has fine-tuned for Cabinet approval. The uplinking facility for foreign news channels is subject to their entering a long-term arrangement with a particular teleport which will be required to maintain a record of the news content for three months.
Channels wanting to beam their content in India will have to base their registered offices in the country and pay an annual licence fee of Rs 1 lakh and a one-time registration fee of Rs 5 lakh.
The Government reportedly decided to include this clause following the Indian public service broadcaster’s experience which had to set up an office in London before joining the Direct to Home (DTH) platform.
Aware that its guidelines lack teeth, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is giving teeth to the Broadcast Regulatory Authority Bill. The Bill will encompass all provisions related to the beaming of programmes within the country.
