The Indian government has announced plans to release a new draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, following concerns raised by online content creators. These creators expressed apprehensions that the bill could categorize them alongside OTT platforms and digital news broadcasters.In a recent statement, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting revealed that it has received numerous recommendations and suggestions from various associations. The Ministry stated, A series of consultations with stakeholders are currently underway regarding the draft bill. To ensure thorough feedback, the Ministry has extended the deadline for submitting comments and suggestions until October 15. Following these consultations, a revised draft of the bill will be published.The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is working on a Draft Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill.The draft Bill was placed in public domain on 10.11.2023 along with the explanatory notes for comments of the stakeholders and the general public. https://t.co/3A4brxbfLC…— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) August 12, 2024The initial draft of the bill was made public on November 11, 2023, for consultation. However, the Opposition has raised concerns, alleging that a revised version was secretly distributed to a select group of stakeholders. Trinamool Congress MP Jawhar Sircar brought this issue to the attention of the Rajya Sabha.Social media posts have circulated claims that the revised bills contents were being shared, sparking backlash from content creators. Reports suggest that the revised draft seeks to classify Instagram influencers and YouTubers as digital news broadcasters, which would require them to register with the government and adhere to content evaluation standards. This has led to widespread concern over potential restrictions on free speech.The draft bill also proposes distinct classifications for digital news broadcasters separate from OTT platforms and registered digital media. The initial version of the bill suggested that OTT platforms, which currently enjoy creative freedom, would be required to comply with a prescribed programme code.The organizations had requested copies of the draft bill from the Ministry but have yet to receive a response.
