News Analysis India

Tag: OTT Platforms

  • Centre gives 15 days to OTT platforms, digital news sites for complying with new IT rules

    By Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has sought compliance reports from digital news websites and OTT platforms in 15 days. In a notice dated May 26, the ministry attached three separate forms for OTT platforms print or TV outlets with digital channels and digital-only news websites and asked them to furnish information under Rule 18 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

    According to the government’s new rules, the three-level grievance redressal mechanism will include self-regulation by publishers within 15 days, self-regulation by publishers’ self-regulating bodies which will address grievances not resolved in a fortnight, and oversight mechanism by the I&B ministry which will establish an inter-departmental committee for hearing grievances.

    The government had notified these rules in February. “The publishers may furnish the information to the ministry in the applicable format within 15 days of the issue of this notice,” said the ministry.

    “Since newspapers are registered under Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867, and private satellite TV channels are permission holders under the uplinking and downlinking guidelines of the ministry, a separate format for furnishing information…has been devised for such entities publishing news and current affairs on digital media,” the notice said, adding there were separate forms for digital news publishers and OTT platforms.

    Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar interacted with publishers of online curated content and with publishers of news on digital media. The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) expressed concern on the recent notifications.

    “While NBA appreciates the need for regulations, the traditional news media need not be subjected to and/or covered under the scope of the IT Rules 2021, since it is already sufficiently regulated by various statutes, laws, guidelines and codes, regulations, and judgements,” said a statement from the NBA.

  • SC stays proceedings pending in HCs on pleas to regulate OTT platforms

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Tuesday stayed proceedings pending before several high courts across the country on pleas related to regulation of over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

    A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that despite the apex court’s earlier order issuing notice on the transfer plea filed by the Centre to club all such petitions filed in various high courts, the Punjab and Haryana High Court is proceeding in the matter pending there.

    The bench observed that notice on transfer petition means that proceedings going on have to stay.

    Mehta said several fresh petitions are being filed in different high courts on the issue.

    Then we will stay proceedings before all high courts and hear the matter in second week after the Holi break, the bench said.

    The top court had earlier issued notice on a transfer petition filed by the Centre seeking to club all petitions filed in various high courts on the issue of regulating OTT platforms.

  • Demand for regulation of contents on OTT platforms raised in Lok Sabha

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Two BJP MPs in the Lok Sabha on Friday urged the government to regulate OTT platforms, claiming some of the contents on them promote violence, drug abuse and also portray Hindu deities in poor light.

    Over-the-top media services (OTT) platforms have spread across the country and the contents on them do not come under the purview of the Censor board.

    Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Manoj Kotak (BJP) said some web series in the name of freedom of expression promote violence, drug abuse.

    Some of them also depict Hindu deities in an objectional manner, he said.

    He demanded the government to have a censorship mechanism and a regulatory authority may be set up to check such kind of objectionable contents which have “adverse impact on the youth of the nation”.

    There are at least 40 OTT platforms, including global ones such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and HotStar (Disney Plus), and hundreds of news content websites.

    Recently, two scenes were removed from a web series following first information report (FIR) against its makers for allegedly depicting Hindu deities in an objectional manner.

    Speaking on the issue, Kirit P Solanki (BJP) said “India’s ancient culture is being attacked in the name of entertainment” by some of the OTT platforms.

    Many objectionable contents have adverse impact on the youth of the nation, he said.

    “I would request the Information and Broadcasting Minister to ban such objectionable contents with immediate effect,” Solanki said.

    Malook Nagar (BSP) said farmers of all communities and not just Jaat are protesting against three new farm laws.

    Nagar said the government should suspend these laws for three years so that facts come out.

  • Government to issue OTT guidelines soon: I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The government will soon issue guidelines for regulation of OTT (over the top) platforms that will address issues such as sensitive content, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

    Replying to a Zero Hour mention, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said a lot of suggestions and complaints on the regulation of OTTs have been received.

    “Guidelines and direction are almost ready.It will be soon implemented,” he said in his brief submission.

    Earlier, raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Mahesh Poddar of the BJP said the content and language on OTT platforms was discriminatory and offensive.

    Objectional content on OTT platforms includes sexual discrimination and abusive language, he said adding that the government should, without delay, implement the Internet regulations.

    There are at least 40 OTT platforms, including global ones such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and HotStar (Disney Plus),and hundreds of news content websites.

    “It is an important issue. We get a lot of suggestions and complaints. Guidelines and directions are almost ready. It will be soon implemented,” Javadekar said.

    Ram Gopal Yadav of the SP opposed direct recruitment for the post of joint secretary in Government of India, saying the IAS and IRS fraternity was unhappy with these lateral entries.

    Besides, there is no reservation for SC, ST and OBC in these appointments, he said, demanding that the Department of Personnel and Training be told to stop such recruitments.

    Neeraj Dangi of the Congress demanded raising of monthly pension to pensioners covered under the EPF-95 scheme to Rs 9,000 from the current Rs 300 to Rs 3,000 a month.

    N Gokulakrishnan of the AIAMDK alleged that “step-motherly treatment” being meted out to Puducherry in partly increase of Rs 26 crore in the annual fund allocation for the Union Territory.

    Seeking at least a 10 per cent annual increase in fund allocation, he said the demand for a special package, writing off of legacy loans and reimbursement of pay commission arrears have been pending with the central government.

    Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar of the TDP sought reconsideration of the government decision to privatise Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) which has a steel plant in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

    The steel plant, he said, was built after 22,000 acres of land was sacrificed by the people of the state.

    About 16,000 people were displaced due to the plant.

    The plant is incurring losses as it does not have a captive iron ore mine and is burdened by huge debt servicing liability, he said, adding the entire steel industry was facing high iron ore and freight cost, pushing them into losses.

    He called for reconsideration of the disinvestment plans of RINL Visakhapatnam.

    Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi raised the issue of Indians stuck on a ship in the China Sea since last year and asked the government to bring them back on priority.

    Shipping Minister Mansukh L Mandaviya said the issue will be resolved in a short time and the crew will return home.

    He said 23 sailors on one ship — MV Jag Anand — have returned home and the Indian government is in touch with the Chinese authorities for the return of 16 Indian crew on another vessel, MV Anastasia.

    Indian bulk cargo vessel MV Jag Anand had been on anchorage near Jingtang port in Hebei province of China since June 13.

    Another vessel, MV Anastasia, is on anchorage near Caofeidian port in China since September 20.

    DMK’s Tiruchi Siva raised the issue of 49 Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in Tamil Nadu not having a single teacher to teach Tamil as a third language.

    Sanskrit and Hindi have been made compulsory languages but not Tamil.

    This, he said, was an injustice to the local language.

    KVs are preferred for their good education and very low fee and not teaching Tamil would be an injustice to poor students, he said.

    “Tamil should be the compulsory language for teaching in KV schools.”

    Sasmit Patra of the BJD raised the issue of a long-pending demand for the building of a new international airport at Puri in Odisha.

    Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri responded saying the request for the new international airport at Puri came from the state government “only a few days ago” and to say it has been long pending will be incorrect.

  • Shivraj Singh Chouhan says ‘obscene content being served’ on OTT platform, bats for censorship

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday underlined the need to censor “obscene” content on OTT (Over the Top) platforms and said the Centre is seriously thinking in this regard.

    Chouhan’s comments came against the backdrop of a controversy over web series “Tandav” and registration of multiple FIRs in many states, including Madhya Pradesh, against its makers for hurting religious sentiments.

    “Obscene content is being served on OTT platforms. Young children are also getting affected due to Internet and mobile phones. After seeing such content on mobile phones, a 12-year-old boy recently misbehaved with a six-year-old girl,” Chouhan said.

    He was speaking at the launch of PANKH abhiyan as part of the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” drive.

    ​ALSO READ | Saif Ali Khan among nine named in FIR lodged by Hindu outfit leader in MP against Tandav

    “Young minds are getting affected by such content. Shouldn’t such content be censored? Children are like a soft clay and learn what they watch. The Government of India is considering it (censor on OTT) seriously,” the senior BJP leader said.

    An over-the-top is a streaming media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet.

    OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms.

    Chouhan said the people who commit crimes against women will not be spared.

    “Similarly, drug mafia who makes youth addicted to drugs won’t be spared. Drugs ruin lives. These criminals make young children and girls drug addicts and force them to commit wrong deeds. Young children commit criminal acts by watching pornographic videos. Government and society should come together to stop such cases,” he said.

    Chouhan said he had introduced the “Ladli Laxmi Yojana” for girls so that they should not be considered a burden by their families.

    He reiterated the demand for a debate on increasing the legal age of marriage for women from the current 18 years to 21 years, on par with men.

    The chief minister also underlined the need to usher in reforms in “our judicial system, which does not spare the people who commit crime against daughters in the name of human rights”.

    Chouhan said the ruling BJP government will “crush” criminals who commit crimes against women.

    He also advocated capital punishment for criminals involved in rape cases.

    Speaking on PANKH drive, the CM said, “P stands for protection, A for awareness, N for nutrition, K for knowledge and H for health. Under this drive, various schemes for the welfare of girls and women will be implemented at a fast pace,” the CM said.

    Chouhan also said that society should come forward to create awareness about women and girls.