I&B Ministry issues advisory on obligation of public service broadcasting

New Delhi [India], January 31 : With the Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels in India, 2022 issued in November last year requiring private broadcasters to undertake public service broadcasting for 30 minutes every day, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry undertook extensive consultations with the private satellite TV channel broadcasters and their associations and based on their inputs issued an advisory on Monday.
Through the advisory, the Ministry has clarified that the relevant content embedded in the programmes being telecast can be accounted for Public Service Broadcasting.
It has been clarified that the content need not be of 30 minutes at a stretch and could be spread over smaller time slots and requires the broadcaster to submit a monthly report online on the Broadcast Seva Portal.
According to an official release, the theme for the broadcasting should comprise of content of national importance and of social relevance including education and spread of literacy; agriculture and rural development; health and family welfare; science and technology; welfare of women; welfare of the weaker sections of the society; protection of environment and of cultural heritage and national integration.
The advisory seeks to achieve the objective of Public Service Broadcasting by private satellite TV channels through voluntary compliance and self-certification.