Draft Broadcasting Bill: Dedicated task force to combat piracy
No one shall be allowed to broadcast a programme without the license from copyright owners, states the draft
In order to combat piracy, the central government may establish a dedicated task force to carry out the necessary investigations.
In the latest draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2024, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has proposed that no one shall be allowed to broadcast a programme without the license from copyright owners.
As an anti-piracy provision in the Draft Bill, the government said that, “For the purposes of this Act, ‘piracy’ shall mean the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, broadcast, transmission, online publication of any programme without the explicit consent from the copyright holders.
“No person shall carry or include in his broadcasting service any programme in respect of which copyright subsists under the Copyright Act, 1957 (14 of 1957) unless he has been granted a license by owners of copyright under that Act in respect of such programme.
“The central government may establish a dedicated task force or unit to investigate and combat piracy. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or prejudice the rights and remedies available to rights holders under any other law for the time being in force.”
