TV Channels Must Air 30 Minutes of National Interest Content Dialy

The Central government’s revised guidelines for compliance for television channels in India has made it compulsory for TV channels to air content in national and public interest for 30 minutes every day.

The ‘Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Satellite Television Channels in India, 2022,’ which have been approved by the Union Cabinet, allow limited liability partnerships and companies to allow uplinking of foreign channels from Indian teleports for beaming content in countries covered by the satellite footprint.

These guidelines also scrap permissions for live telecast of events. However, prior registration of events to be telecast live would be necessary.

As per the revised guidelines, television channels are required to broadcast 30 minutes of public interest content daily on themes of national interest such as 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 Centre has revised the guidelines after 11 years after taking into account the technological advances in the interim period. The guidelines were first issued in 2005 and revised in 2011.

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