New Delhi: As reported by ET, the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) has raised concerns over Prasar Bharati’s recent notice to television broadcasters, urging the public broadcaster to withdraw its invitation for channels to join its upcoming over-the-top (OTT) platform.
In a letter addressed to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary, the AIDCF argued that Prasar Bharati’s notice contravenes the ministry’s uplinking and downlinking guidelines. The federation emphasized that satellite TV channel decoders can only be provided to licensed service providers like multi-system operators (MSOs), direct-to-home (DTH) services, internet protocol television (IPTV) providers, and headend in the sky (HITS) operators.
However, television broadcasters contend that Prasar Bharati is not subject to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India regulations or the Cable Television Networks Regulation Act and Rules, potentially allowing them to offer their satellite TV channels on the public broadcaster’s OTT service.
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The AIDCF and the DTH Association, representing India’s DTH operators, were considering a joint letter to the ministry. However, the DTH Association’s delay in finalizing its stance led the AIDCF to proceed independently.
The AIDCF’s letter highlighted the potential disruption to the distribution ecosystem and the risk of setting a problematic precedent. The federation warned that the proliferation of unregulated OTT platforms illegally distributing linear satellite TV content could further damage the traditional distribution industry.
The AIDCF called for clear regulations to prevent OTT platforms from broadcasting linear satellite TV channels, emphasizing the need to protect the cable and DTH sectors from further challenges.
