The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has sought public views and inputs on platform services that are delivered by MSOs as part of pre-regulation consultations.

“Stakeholders are hereby informed that it is proposed to put in place an appropriate regulatory framework on the ‘Platform Services’ offered by Multi System Operators (MSOs) to their subscribers,” the Ministry said in a public notice, adding that regulator TRAI had also made recommendations on the subject matter last year that can be studied by those sending in their viewpoints to MIB.

Platform services are programs transmitted by distribution platform operators exclusively to their own subscribers and do not include Doordarshan channels and registered TV channels. It shall also not include foreign TV channels that are not registered in India.

TRAI last year had made a slew of recommendations to the government on the issue of platform services, including whether they can include news channels or not and clarifying the type of news that could be carried by MSO on their platform services.

While in its suggestions TRAI had said an MSO can carry a lesser number of channels as platform services, but later agreed with MIB feedback on this aspect in a completely digitised environment and raised the number to 15 channels maximum per operator.

It had also suggested that no annual fees should be imposed on platform services channels. “However, a one-time registration fee of Rs.1,000 per PS channel should be charged. An online payment gateway for acceptance of the registration fees may be incorporated by MIB in the recommended online registration system,” the regulator highlighted.

The transferability of registration and interconnection with other networks for sharing of platform services were also not recommended.

After feedback from the MIB, TRAI recommended distribution platforms should provide an option of activation/deactivation of platform services as prescribed in the orders/directions/regulations issued by TRAI from time-to-time.

A ground-based broadcaster, vertically integrated with a DPO, shall be subject to all the restrictions on vertically integrated entities recommended by the Authority in its ‘Recommendations on Issues related to New DTH Licenses’ issued on July 23, 2014, TRAI had said.

On retransmission of FM radio channels as part of platform services, TRAi had recommended it should be permitted only after execution of an appropriate commercial agreement with all the rights holders. For retransmission of FM radio channels on TV channel distribution networks, the proposed guidelines for ground- based broadcasters should apply to the FM radio operators. “However, this matter will be revisited at a later point in time, once the FM radio industry fully develops in India,” it added.