The Union cabinet approved the Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Satellite Television Channels in India on Wednesday as per which, it will be mandatory for television channels to show content of national importance everyday for 30 minutes.
The new rules replace two sets of guidelines that satellite TV channels had to follow earlier, according to a statement released by the Union Ministry of Broadcasting and Information.
According to the statement, the networks no longer need to obtain permission to broadcast live events because of the new rules. TV broadcasters would need to register events in advance for live transmission, though.
Additionally, the new rules have established precise deadlines for approving additional channels. The Union Ministry of Broadcasting and Information must provide a letter of intent to seek other formalities, such as a security deposit and permission fees for the first year, within 30 days of receiving clearance from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and other agencies.
After the applicants meet the required conditions, the broadcasting and information ministry will need to grant permission within 15 days.
The new regulations allow news organisations to request approval for a period of five years as opposed to one. In addition, it was said that multiple satellites might be used to uplink a channel rather than only the one that is currently permitted.
