In its recommendations to the government on formulating the National Broadcasting Policy (NBP), the Trai has also said that the process of granting approvals be digitised through single-window clearance.
In July 2023, the ministry of information and broadcasting had urged Trai to provide its inputs for the formulation of the NBP. The Trai had issued a consultation paper on NBP seeking stakeholder comments in April.
While suggesting steps to grow the TV and radio footprint in the country, the regulator has also asked the MIB to establish a credible audience measurement system for TV, radio, and OTT.
The regulator said that the existing audience measurement system must be revamped. The Broadcast Audience Research Council is the de facto TV measurement body in India.
The MIB must create a framework for the disclosure of viewership data by OTT services, the Trai added. Currently, OTT platforms don’t make viewership data public. The broadcasting sector regulator has also urged the government to enable the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for setting up content creation hubs.
Copyrights
Trai also wants to strengthen the intellectual property rights (IPR) regime for content creators, besides clamping down on piracy through copyright protection and stringent law enforcement through anti-piracy units and specialised tribunals for quick disposal of copyright infringement cases.
It is also recommended that DD Free Dish, which reaches 40-50 million rural homes, become an addressable and encrypted platform to prevent piracy.
According to Trai, an inter-ministerial committee should be constituted under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, including MIB, the ministry of home affairs, and the IT ministry, to strengthen enforcement mechanisms for combating piracy.
To measure the contribution of the broadcasting sector to the GDP, the Trai has suggested a collaboration between the National Statistical Office, industry associations, and academic institutions.
The Trai recommended that the existing broadband and telecom infrastructure be utilised to increase the TV and radio footprint in rural and far-flung areas.
TV distribution platforms must be encouraged to come out with low-cost content offerings, it noted.
The authority said that a ‘Technology Development Fund’ must be set up to support R&D and startups in the broadcasting sector.
It was also said that a ‘Centre of Excellence for Broadcasting’ should be set up at technological institutes and industry associations for testing emerging broadcasting technology. To make India a broadcast uplinking hub, the Trai said that collaborations between foreign companies and Indian partners must be encouraged through bilateral agreements.
The regulator also said that the ‘National Policy for Growth of the ‘Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality’ (AVGC-XR) Sector in India’ should be notified in mission mode.
To make India a gaming content hub, the Trai also said that the government must unlock the international market for India by creating and supporting infrastructure such as plug-and-play labs and incubators to encourage startups and new players.
