(a) Whether the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has stipulated 12-minute cap on advertisements that channels can show in an hour; If so, the details thereof;
(b) Whether the Government has any proposal to lift this ban for Free-to-air channels and the ad-cap may continue for paid channels; and
(c) If so, the details thereof and the reasons therefore along with the time by which the decision is likely to be taken in this regard;
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE; MINISTER OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING (SHRI ARUN JAITLEY)
(a) to (c) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 188 FOR ANSWER ON 05.12.2014.
(a) The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had notified the regulation namely “ Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) (Amendment) Regulations, 2013 dated 22.03.2013. The regulation 3 of the said regulation provides that no broadcaster shall, in its broadcast of a programme, carry advertisements exceeding twelve minutes in a clock hour. Further, regulation 5 provides that every broadcaster shall, within fifteen days from the end of a quarter, submit the details of advertisements carried in its channel to TRAI. Detailed regulations are available on the website of TRAI at www.trai.gov.in . The aforesaid regulations have been challenged by some broadcasters before Hon’ble High Court of Delhi. The Hon’ble High Court vide their order dated 17.12.2013 has passed an interim order that “…..Till the disposal of these Writ Petitions, the Respondent/TRAI is restrained from taking any coercive measures against the petitioners or their Members to make them abide by the impugned regulations…..” The matter is sub-judice.
(b) & (c) Two broadcasters have represented to the Ministry that free-to-air news and current affairs TV channels may be exempted from the 12 minutes advertisement cap stipulated under Rule 7(11) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. All such representations on this issue shall be considered on merit.