TRAI suggests 100 per cent FDI in broadcast carriage

TRAI today recommended raising the FDI limit for broadcast carriage services up to 100 per cent and for uplinking of news channels and FM radio services up to 49 per cent.
The Information & Broadcasting Ministry had in July sent a reference to TRAI asking it to examine a Finance Ministry proposal for increasing FDI limits in media.
In a statement, TRAI said its recommendations broadly pertain to three segments of the broadcasting sector - broadcast carriage services, television content services and FM radio services.
The FDI limit for the broadcast carriage services has been recommended for enhancement to 100 per cent and that for uplinking of 'news and current affairs' TV channels and FM radio services to 49 per cent, it said.

Currently, only 26 per cent FDI is allowed in uplinking of news and current affairs channels and FM radio services.
It has also been recommended that the FIPB approval process be streamlined and made time-bound, TRAI said.
Broadcast Carriage Services, for which TRAI has recommended a 100 per cent FDI include DTH, HITS, IPTV, mobile TV, teleports, cable networks and multi-system operators.