Draft Broadcasting Bill: Govt plan in conflict with TRAI stand on DD FreeDish encryption?
In the Bill, government has proposed that every cable and satellite broadcasting network operator shall transmit or re-transmit programmes in an encrypted form through a digital addressable system
The latest draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill 2024 obligates the cable and satellite broadcasting network operators to transmit programmes in an encrypted form through a digital addressable system. However, it exempts the broadcasting networks under the Prasar Bharti Act from complying with this requirement.
Interestingly, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had recently recommended encryption of all broadcasting networks, including DD FreeDish, which is a free DTH service run by Prasar Bharti.
In the Bill, the government has proposed that every cable and satellite broadcasting network operator shall transmit or re-transmit programmes in an encrypted form through a digital addressable system only, provided that broadcasting network operators authorised under the Prasar Bharti (Broadcasting Corporation of India) Act, 1990, shall be exempted from complying with requirements in relation to encryption, subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed.
Prasar Bharti Act governs the Akashvani (All India Radio – the radio network) and Doordarshan (the Television network). Prasar Bharati also operates DD Freedish, the only free Direct to Home service which is the largest distributed DTH platform in India.
The draft bill further said that cable and satellite broadcasting network operators shall “publicise the information related to subscription rates, standards of quality of service and mechanism for redressal of grievances, in such manner and at such periodic intervals as may be prescribed by the Central Government or as may be specified by TRAI by its regulation, directions or orders; and maintain records about the programmes transmitted by them in such form and for such time period as may be specified, and also share the same with the Authorised Officer and the Central Government as and when required.”
The Bill also directs that a Cable and Satellite broadcasting network operator shall not require any subscriber to have a receiver set of a particular type to receive programmes or signals of their broadcasting network, provided that the subscriber of cable broadcasting network and satellite broadcasting network shall use a digital addressable system to be attached to his receiver set for receiving programmes transmitted on any channel.
