The government has directed cable operators of the country to carry on a mandatory basis additional TV channels as part of certain compliances under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.
In an advisory to the cable operators, including MSOs, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the additional TV channels to be carried are DD Assam (General Entertainment Regional), DD Odia (General Entertainment Regional), Sansad TV-1 HD (News and Current Affairs, Lok Sabha), Sansad TV-1 (News and Current Affairs Lok Sabha), Sansad TV-2 HD (News and Current Affairs Rajya Sabha) and Sansad TV-2 (News and Current Affairs Rajya Sabha).
In addition, the other channels to be also carried by cable ops include Doordarshan National HD (General Entertainment Hindi), DD News HD (News and Current Affairs Hindi), DD Sports HD and DD India HD (News and Current Affairs English).
Pointing out that the MIB issues certificates of registration to the MSOs and LCOs, collectively known as cable operators, under rules of the Cable Television Act, the advisory stated, “Accordingly, all cable operators are directed to carry the mandatory channels appropriately in respective genres on their cable TV network.”
The Cable TV Act empowers the Central or the federal government to notify the names of Doordarshan (public broadcaster) channels or the channels operated by or on behalf of Parliament to be mandatorily carried by the cable operators on their cable services.
The type of TV channels to be carried on a mandatory basis are amended from time to time by the government.