Discuss the need to regulate the content on television channels in India. How is India regulating satellite TV channels?

Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels in India, 2022, were recently adopted by the Union Cabinet.

Key highlights:

• Every day for 30 minutes, television networks will have to air programming that is in the public interest or in the interest of the nation. 
• Sports, wildlife, and foreign channels, however, will be exempt from these requirements.
• Among the issues of national significance are Education and literacy promotion, Science and technology, family and child welfare, agriculture and rural development, women’s welfare, Welfare of the socially disadvantaged, preservation of the environment, preservation of cultural heritage and national integration.
• Provide easier access to permissions for companies and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) registered in India to uplink and downlink TV channels.
• Signal encryption is a legal requirement for TV channels that uplink in frequency bands other than the C band.
• Events cannot be televised live without prior permission. 
• Foreign channels may be uplinked by Indian Teleports. 
• Rationalization and simplification.

Rationale behind content regulation:

• The usage of airwaves and frequencies must be done so in the interests of society, as they are public property.
• As a result, all stations (except from foreign channels) will need to broadcast programming for the benefit of the general population. 
• India’s television subscriptions are predicted to increase by 42 million from 178 million in 2021 by 2025, according to a FICCI-EY analysis.
• In these conditions, public service broadcasting is not a bad idea in a diverse nation with numerous problems.

Associated concerns:

• The rules state that “the Central Government may, from time to time, give a general recommendation to the channels for transmission of programming in the national interest, and the channel should comply with the same,” which leaves opportunity for more meddling. This implies that the centre will monitor the press.

Way forward:

A balance should be maintained between freedom of speech & expression and public welfare.