Entertainment
Broadcasters want same laws for IPTV, TV channels

New Delhi, Aug. 26 (PTI): Seeking a level playing field, TV broadcasters have sought the prime minister's intervention for extending security, licencing and downlinking laws applicable to TV channels to television programming beamed on the internet and mobile phones.

In a representation to the prime minister, the broadcasters' body Indian Media Group (IMG) has warned the government of the serious security implications of "unregulated" internet protocol TV (IPTV) and mobile TV, which could open a back door for all channels that are banned or do not have permission to downlink in India.

Since IPTV and mobile TV are being launched by telecom companies on their network infrastructure, they are considered to be under the communications and IT ministry.

Thus, they are not covered by the information and broadcasting ministry's Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act of 1995, which regulates downlinking, licencing and content of channels allowed to broadcast in the country.

Telecom companies have taken the stand that IPTV and mobile TV should be listed under the telecom licence regime while cable operators and broadcasters argue these should be in the broadcasting domain.

The jurisdiction of ministries is decided by the allocation of business rules, which only the prime minister can change.

"Technologies in the media sector are evolving at a very rapid pace and there is an urgent need to have a unified mechanism which is technology-neutral to regulate the sector," A K Doval, general secretary of IMG, said in a letter to the prime minister.

Entertainment

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