The government has scrapped the 12-minute advertising cap for television channels, giving broadcasters greater flexibility to monetise their programming and compete with both rival TV networks and digital media platforms.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in a notification on Friday that the advertising restriction, introduced in 2006, had become outdated due to significant changes in the broadcasting landscape.
When the rule was introduced, India had around 62 television channels. That number has now grown to more than 900, while digital media has expanded rapidly without being subject to a similar advertising restriction.
Under the earlier framework, television channels could carry a maximum of 12 minutes of non-programme content in every hour. This was divided into 10 minutes of commercial advertising and two minutes for channel self-promotion.
Level Playing Field With Digital Media
The ministry said the television industry remains heavily dependent on advertising revenue, regardless of whether channels operate on a pay or free-to-air model.
It argued that the existing regulation had created an uneven competitive environment between traditional broadcasters and digital platforms.
According to the ministry, the market has changed considerably since 2006, with greater competition both within the television sector and between television and digital media.
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Television broadcasters had challenged the advertising restriction when it was introduced. However, the Delhi High Court upheld the regulation at the time, observing that there was no constitutional guarantee of profitability or unlimited monetisation of public resources.
The removal of the cap now gives television broadcasters greater freedom over advertising inventory as the industry competes for viewers and advertising revenue in an increasingly fragmented media market.
