In an important development, online news websites and streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video will now come under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
As per a government notification, dated November 9, the Centre amended allocation of business rules to bring digital/online media under the I&B Ministry’s purview.
Government issues order bringing online films and audio-visual programmes, and online news and current affairs content under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. pic.twitter.com/MoJAjW8fUH
— ANI (@ANI) November 11, 2020
The notification states, “Government of India (Allocation of Business) rules, 1961” to include “film and audio-visual programmes made available by online content providers”, and “news and current affairs content on online platforms” under the purview of the I&B Ministry.
This decision was already in the making because the I&B Ministry in 2018, had set up a committee to frame laws to regulate online media and news portals.
The decision comes in the wake of content getting broadcasted through these platforms that would otherwise not find its place in private TV channels or print media. The government thinks there was no “norms or guidelines” to regulate online media and news portals.
The committee was formed to recommend “appropriate policy formulation for online media/ news portals and online content platform including digital broadcasting which encompasses entertainment/ infotainment & news/ media aggregators,”.
The committee set by I&B Ministry will also analyse “international scenario” for similar regulations to define the scope of what all could be regulated in online news and media sphere.