Panel wants IT, I&B Ministries and DoT under one umbrella

The Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has proposed bringing the ministries of electronics and IT (MeitY), information and broadcating (MIB) and department of telecommunications under a single umbrella to improve coordination in addressing issues related to technology convergence of communication and media technologies.

The recommendation was made to the MIB as part of the parliamentary panel’s Demands for Grants report for 2025-26, which was presented in the Lok Sabha on Friday and in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

“If need be, the ministry (MIB) may also look into the feasibility of bringing” the MeitY, MIB and the telecom department (DoT) “under one umbrella for better coordination for issues emerging due to the convergence of technologies,” the report said.

The media industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with the widespread adoption of smartphones and affordable high-speed mobile broadband boosting online media consumption.

However, the committee’s proposal is expected to face a pushback from the broadcasting industry, industry insiders said.

Industry bodies such as the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) have previously informed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) during consultations that broadcasting services are fundamentally different from utility-based telecommunication services in their constitutional positioning.

While telecommunications infrastructure can justifiably be subject to licensing as a scarce public resource, “creation and dissemination of broadcasting content are exercises of fundamental rights,” IBDF had argued.

The standing committee has also urged the MIB to consider introducing a comprehensive media bill to address concerns related to broadcasting, cable TV, and over-the-top (OTT) platforms, especially since the MIB is planning to bring a new broadcast bill.

The draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, which aims to replace the existing Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, will not be introduced in the current session, the MIB informed the panel.

The committee also asked the ministry to explore the feasibility of constituting a media council covering print, digital, and broadcasting under one umbrella for better coordination and law enforcement. It suggested that inputs from related ministries and organisations, including the MeitY, be sought.

The idea of a media council is not new. The Press Council of India has also supported it.

However, the MIB has previously expressed reservations, arguing that different media platforms are too unique to be governed under a single regulatory framework.

The ministry withdrew the draft broadcast bill last year due to significant criticism from stakeholders.

The bill, intended to overhaul broadcasting regulations, was placed in the public domain on November 10, 2023, for public and stakeholder feedback. It faced backlash for potentially expanding government control over online content, including social media and independent content creators.

The bill aims to streamline regulatory processes, extend its purview to OTT content and digital news, introduce contemporary definitions for emerging technologies, and strengthen self-regulation through a Broadcast Advisory Council for content oversight, besides improving existing broadcasting laws, as per the ministry.

While recommending that the MIB conduct a comprehensive review and incorporate stakeholder suggestions, the parliamentary panel stressed that the bill must be holistic, robust, and technology-proof.

It also suggested including a provision for periodic reviews and updates to keep the legislation relevant as technologies and trends evolve in the broadcasting sector.