TV Channels Freed from Ad-Time Cap as Govt Rewrites 20-Year-Old Rule
What Happened
The government has decided to remove the 12-minute-per-hour advertising cap for television channels, a restriction that had been in place since 2006 under the Cable Television Networks Rules. The Information & Broadcasting Ministry said the move is aimed at ensuring fair competition with digital platforms and improving the ease of doing business for broadcasters. The change will take effect once the amended rules are officially notified.
Key Takeaways
With TV channels no longer bound by the 12-minute limit, broadcasters will gain greater flexibility to generate advertising revenue, though viewers could potentially see longer ad breaks.