Govt removes 12-min advertisement duration cap for TV channels
Move aimed at creating a level playing field for traditional broadcasters and digital media while giving channels greater business flexibility
Television channels will soon be free to decide their advertisement duration as the Centre has decided to remove the 12-minute advertising cap, a restriction introduced nearly two decades ago. The move is aimed at promoting fair competition and improving the ease of doing business.
The Government has decided to remove the advertisement duration cap prescribed under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994. The decision will come into effect from the date on which the amendment is notified in the Gazette, an official statement said.
The 12-minute advertisement cap was introduced in 2006, when India’s television broadcasting landscape was vastly different. At the time, there were only 62 television channels, while the country now has more than 900 channels, offering viewers a much wider range of choices.
The distribution ecosystem has also undergone a major transformation. In 2006, cable television—the principal platform for delivering channels—was largely analogue and had limited carriage capacity. Following the complete digitisation of the cable sector, television content is now distributed through digital platforms including DTH, Cable TV, HITS and IPTV.
These platforms currently carry 300 and 500 channels or more, meeting diverse consumer needs and enabling greater variety. Consequently, there is now adequate competition in market dynamics.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has therefore reviewed the existing restrictions on advertisement duration in light of these changes. It noted that advertising remains a critical source of revenue for the television sector, whether a channel is pay-TV or free-to-air.
The Ministry also highlighted the disparity between traditional television and digital media, where there is no equivalent statutory cap on advertisement duration. According to the Government, continuing the restriction on television could place traditional broadcasters at a disadvantage in an increasingly competitive media environment.
The Government is of the view that adequate competition now exists both within the television broadcasting industry and between television and digital media. Removing the cap, it said, would help create a more level playing field while giving broadcasters greater flexibility in their business operations.
