TV, streaming cos in distress over draft broadcast bill

The proposed Broadcasting Services (Regulanificant distress within the television and streaming industries. The draft bill, which seeks to regulate broadcasting services, including OTT content and digital news, has been extended for comments until 27 January.

The bill aims to replace the existing Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, and other current broadcasting guidelines.

Senior content commissioning executives are concerned over the bill's attempt to merge linear TV and OTT under one regulatory framework. This move could stifle innovation and regress the industry by decades.

"Under the garb of combining all forms of media under one umbrella, this kind of micro-management will only expedite the death of the broadcasting industry," said a senior broadcaster declining to be named.

"We've tried very hard to explain that there is a basic difference between TV and OTT content and the viewer makes a specific choice, fully understanding what he's signing up for, when it comes to the latter."