I&B ministry weighs bill to regulate OTT, DTH

livemint.com:

NEW DELHI : The ministry of information and broadcasting is considering introducing a new bill to regulate broadcasting services, including over-the-top (OTT) apps and direct-to-home services, two people aware of the development said. The bill, currently in its initial stages, is likely to be taken up only after the general elections next year. It will focus on the regulation of OTT services that are engaged in broadcasting, while the one-to-one or direct messaging OTTs will be taken up for regulation in the Indian Telecommunications Bill.

“The OTT broadcasting regulation will be taken up separately. There is work going on for a new bill. It is still being prepared, and the draft is not public.

It will anyway be taken up after elections," one of the people said. Broadcasting was earlier included in the definition of communication in the telecom bill, but it is now removed from the definition and will be taken up separately, the person said. “All issues that I&B (information and broadcasting ministry) had, with regards to the bill have been resolved," the person said.

A second person familiar with the development said the broadcasting ministry is considering renaming the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act as the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill to bring direct-to-home (DTH) and OTT services under it. “There is even a draft ready for the same," the person said. Queries to the I&B ministry did not elicit a response as of Thursday evening.