TRAI issues recommendations for National Broadcast Policy

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released recommendations for the 'Inputs for the formulation of the National Broadcasting Policy-2024'.

"The policy aims to outline the vision, mission, goals, and strategies for the planned development and growth of the broadcasting sector in the country amidst new and emerging technologies," stated TRAI in its 180-page document.

On 21 September 2023, TRAI had issued a pre-consultation paper to identify issues for consideration in the formulation of the 'National Broadcasting Policy'. Stakeholders were invited to submit written comments on the pre-consultation paper by 10 October 2023. This deadline was later extended to 7 November 2023 at the stakeholders' request.

TRAI received 28 comments from various associations, companies, service providers, individuals, and consumer advocacy groups. After reviewing the issues raised in the written submissions, as well as discussions and inputs from meetings across the country, TRAI issued the Consultation Paper (CP) titled 'Inputs for formulation of National Broadcasting Policy-2024' on 2 April 2024.

The CP highlighted key focus areas and posed 20 questions for stakeholders' consideration and comments. Comments were received from 42 stakeholders. An online Open House Discussion (OHD) was held on 15 May 2024, and additional comments were received post-OHD. All comments, OHD submissions, and additional comments were analyzed and considered for the final recommendations to the Government.

TRAI has recommended a specific Vision, Mission, and Goals for the National Broadcasting Policy-2024. They are as follows: 

Vision

To cultivate a competitive, affordable, and widespread ecosystem for the sustained growth of the broadcasting sector, meeting diverse consumer needs. This policy aims to facilitate quality content creation, promote democratic values and cultural diversity, enhance inclusivity and literacy, attract investments, protect intellectual property, develop robust indigenous infrastructure, adopt emerging technologies, generate employment, and drive socioeconomic development through innovation and collaboration, thereby strengthening India's soft image and positioning ‘Brand India’ globally.

Mission

In the quest to establish India as a global leader in the broadcasting sector, this policy outlines a broad roadmap for 10 years, with a special emphasis on the next 5 years. The National Broadcasting Policy-2024 aims to achieve the following:

A. Propelling Growth:

1. Establishing a robust broadcasting ecosystem through growth-oriented policies and regulations based on data-driven governance.
2. Supporting the development of a resilient, adaptive, and tech-agile infrastructure that fosters R&D, technology innovation, and indigenous manufacturing.
3. Promoting a level playing field and healthy competition, enhancing the ease of doing business, stimulating economic growth by extending broadcasting services to all, positioning India as an 'Uplinking Hub' for television channels, attracting investments, generating employment opportunities, and promoting skill development.

B. Promoting Content:

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

C. Protecting Interests:

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

Goals

A. Propelling Growth: Establishing a robust broadcasting ecosystem:

1. Measure the sector’s performance using key economic parameters to enable data-driven policy decisions.
2. Extend the reach and access of television broadcasting services to uncovered households.
3. Expand radio coverage in underserved areas.
4. Promote R&D and secure intellectual property rights (IPR) in the broadcasting sector.
5. Encourage the manufacturing and adoption of new technologies, including indigenous broadcasting technologies and equipment.
6. Generate employment through training and upskilling, providing New Age Skills to the workforce.
7. Foster innovation-led startups and empower Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
8. Develop conducive policies and regulatory practices for economic growth.
9. Position India as an 'Uplinking Hub' for television channels.
10. Leverage digital terrestrial broadcasting as a complementary broadcasting technology.
11. Establish an effective audience measurement and rating system.

B. Promoting Content: Encouraging Indian content outreach at the 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 the growth and proliferation of Indian content through OTT broadcasting services.
5. Support Indian content production through films, animation, visual effects, gaming, and music.

C. Protecting Interests: Safeguarding rights of content creators 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 broadcasters during disasters.