The Union Cabinet has approved the “Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels in India, 2022”.

The consolidated guidelines shall ease the issue of permissions to the companies/ LLPs (Limited Liability Partnerships) registered in India for uplinking and downlinking of TV channels, setting up of teleports/ teleport hubs, use of Digital Satellite News Gathering (DSNG)/Satellite News Gathering (SNG)/Electronic News Gathering (ENG) systems, uplinking by Indian news agencies and temporary uplinking of a live event.

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The main advantages of the revised guidelines are: ease of compliance for the permit holder; requirement for seeking permission for the live telecast of events has been done away with (only prior registration of events to be telecast live would be necessary); and no requirement of prior permission for change of language or conversion of the mode of transmission from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition (HD) or vice versa (only prior intimation would be required).

In case of emergency, for a company/LLP with only two directors/partners, a director/partner can be changed, subject to security clearance post such appointment, to enable business decision-making.

A company/LLP can use news-gathering equipment other than DSNG, such as optic fiber, bag back, mobile, etc. for which no separate permission would be necessary.

To promote ”Ease of Doing Business”, specific timelines have been proposed for granting permission. Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) entities can also seek permission.  LLPs/companies would be allowed to uplink foreign channels from Indian teleports which would create employment opportunities and make India a teleport hub for other countries.

A news agency can get permission for a five-year period against one year at present. A channel can be uplinked by using facilities of more than one teleport/satellite as against only one teleport/satellite at present.

The guidelines have broadened the possibility of allowing the transfer of TV channel/teleport to a company/LLP as permissible under the Companies Act/Limited Liability Act.