Ministry of Information and Broadcasting all set to roll out online LCO registration

The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) is set to launch a centralised online registration system for local cable operators (LCOs) that will also extend the registration validity from one year to five years to enhance ease of business in the cable TV sector, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The ministry plans to amend the Cable Television Networks (CTN) Rules, 1994, making it mandatory for LCOs to register through the Broadcast Seva portal. Once implemented, MIB will become the primary registering authority for LCOs.

Currently, LCOs must register at local head post offices within their operational areas. As per January 2022 data from the Department of Posts, 81,706 LCOs operate across the country.


“The ministry is likely to notify the new online registration system this week. It has been a long-standing demand of the industry,” said a government official on the condition of anonymity.

At present, the offline registration process prevents the ministry from maintaining a central database, which limits its ability to act against LCOs in case of violations. LCOs currently pay a one-time processing fee of ₹500 for registration or renewal.

Under Rule 5 of the CTN Rules, 1994, LCOs provide last-mile connectivity by retransmitting signals from multi-system operators (MSOs) to subscribers through their own infrastructure.

The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF), representing national MSOs, had informed the Parliamentary Committee on Communications and Information Technology that approximately 3 lakh employees lost their jobs over the past four years, with another 3 lakh at risk of losing employment due to a sharp decline in the cable TV subscriber base.

According to a FICCI-EY report, the cable TV subscriber base has dropped from 72 million in 2020 to 62 million in 2023.