The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on Friday i.e. September 4, 2020 unveiled the Universal Self-Regulation Code for OCCPs (“Code”). The Code has been adopted by 15 leading Online Curated Content Providers in India. The present set of signatories include Zee5, Viacom 18, Disney Hotstar, Amazon Prime...
WILL CBFC CERTIFICATE BE REQUIRED FOR SATELLITE RELEASE OF DIGITALLY RELEASED FILMS?
Anushree Rauta -
Desperate times call for desperate measures. Breaking the practice of the eight-week holdback period from theatrical release, several mainstream Bollywood films are being directly released on OTT. Who would have imagined that an Akshay Kumar starrer film ‘Laxmmi Bomb’ or an Amitabh Bachchan-Ayushman Khurana starrer ‘Gulabo Sitaro’ would go...
Introduction
In India, art and restrictions often cross paths resulting in a constant struggle between freedom of expression and reasonable restrictions. As we enter into the 73rd year of adoption of the Constitution, acts of artistic expressions as subject of censorship are on a rise, reinstating the famous debate of...
KARNATAKA HIGH COURT RULES THAT ONLINE CONTENT CANNOT BE REGULATED UNDER THE CINEMATOGRAPH ACT [READ JUDGEMENT]
Anushree Rauta -
I&B minister Prakash Javadekar recently at an event invited suggestions and recommendations from audience and other stakeholders regarding certification of online content. Last year several cases were filed in different courts of the country again seeking regulation of online content. Read the orders here, here and here.
Recently the Karnataka...
ANTI TOBACCO HEALTH WARNINGS FOR OTT CONTENT: SHOULD OTT BE TREATED AT PAR WITH THEATRES AND TELEVISION?
Anushree Rauta -
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently notified the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) 2023 Rules, 2023 (“2023 Rules”) on 31st May, 2023 which is to come into effect within 3 (three) months from the date of...
GUWAHATI HC SETS ASIDE NOTICE BANNING TELECAST OF “BEGUM JAAN,” A SHOW ALLEGEDLY PROMOTING ‘LOVE JIHAD’
Harshil Dureja -
Begum Jaan, an Assamese TV series based loosely on the theme of 1948 Assamese movie Siraj ran in legal troubles for allegedly promoting ‘Love Jihad’. Siraj was a critically acclaimed movie which was made on the theme of national integration with a message of communal harmony but in 2020,...
BREAKING: PRESIDENT BRINGS OTT CONTENT WITHIN THE AMBIT OF I&B MINISTRY BY AMENDING THE GOI ALLOCATION OF BUSINESS RULES, 1961 [READ NOTIFICATION]
Anushree Rauta -
In a sudden move, the President in exercise of its powers under Article 77 of the Constitution amended Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 has included within the ambit of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting the following entries:
“VA. DIGITAL/ONLINE MEDIA
22A. Films and Audio-Visual programmes made available...
I&B MINISTRY LAUNCHES FACILITY OF SHARING AIR NEWS WITH PRIVATE FM RADIO BROADCASTERS; WHAT’S REALLY CHANGED?
Anushree Rauta -
India remains one of those few democracies in the world in which news dissemination on radio still remains within the control of a government owned broadcaster, Prasar Bharti Corporation which owns and operates All India Radio.With the unparalleled reach which radio as a medium has in India, such monopoly...
Five hurdles faced by the fast-evolving Media and Entertainment industry of India – A legal perspective
Anushree Rauta -
This article was first featured in the magazine 'The Kolkata Protector' (March-April 2018 edition), a magazine for the Kolkata Police. The e-version of the article can be accessed here.
It is not easy to list down only five hurdles faced by the Media and Entertainment industry of India, but I...
It has been often said that media is the fourth pillar of democracy, but this statement appears to be besmirched in the recent past, with our country’s media networks and TV channels being mired with complaints of bias, hate speech, false news, vilification and TRP scandals.
The Supreme Court on...