Centre asks states to route their broadcast content through Prasar Bharati

In the advisory, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting asked the state and union territory administrations broadcasting their content to route it through Prasar Bharati.

It also asked entities distributing the broadcasting content to "extract themselves" from it by December 31, 2023.

The Centre's advisory will impact channels like Kalvi TV,  Tamil Nadu government's educational channel and Andhra Pradesh government's IPTV.

"No Ministry/Department of the Central Government and State/UT Governments and entities related to them shall enter into broadcasting/distribution of broadcasting activities in future," said the advisory issued on Friday.

"ln case Ministries of Central Government, State/UT Government and entities related to them are already broadcasting their content, it shall be done through the Public Broadcaster," it said.

"ln case Ministries of Central Government, State/UT Government and entities related to them are already distributing the broadcasting content, they will be required to extract themselves from the distribution activities," it stated.

In 2012, the broadcast regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had suggested that the central and state governments, their companies, undertakings, joint ventures with the private sector and entities funded by the governments should not be allowed to enter the business of broadcasting.

The advisory stated that the TRAI's recommendations have been considered by the I&B Ministry.

Further, broadcasting is a subject in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.

The advisory underscored that only the central government, as per Article 246 of the Constitution, can legislate on such subjects.