A parliamentary standing committee on communications and information technology has formally suggested the creation of a unified Media Council to bring print, broadcast, and digital media under a single regulatory body.

The recommendation, aimed at improving coordination and implementation of media laws, was included in the committee’s eleventh report on the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s (MIB) demands for grants, The Hindustan Times reported.

Led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, the committee had previously discussed the proposal, as first reported by Hindustan Times on January 31. Even before the formal recommendation, sources indicate that the MIB had explored the possibility of establishing such a body, modeled after the existing Press Council of India (PCI).

The panel also suggested bringing together the MIB, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) under a single regulatory umbrella to address policy and governance challenges arising from technological convergence.

A key aspect of the MIB’s evolving regulatory framework is the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, which proposes to shift the oversight of over-the-top (OTT) content and digital news from the IT Rules, 2021, to MIB. However, the ministry clarified that it does not plan to introduce the bill in the current parliamentary session.

At present, digital streaming platforms like Netflix and JioCinema, along with digital news publishers, operate under Part III of the IT Rules, 2021. These rules, which introduced a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism, have been legally challenged by multiple media organizations. The Bombay and Madras High Courts have stayed some provisions, but self-regulatory bodies continue to function, and MIB retains the authority to issue blocking orders under Rules 15 and 16.