Privatisation, Convergence and Broadcasting Regulations: A Case Study of the Indian Television Industry

In India till 1991 there was only one television channel –Doordarshan, the public service broadcaster. With the opening up of the Indian economy in early 1990s enabled the entry of private broadcasters in India. The number of television channels has proliferated manifold. By 2005 India had more than 200 digital channels. The number of television channels has grown from around 600 in 2010 to 800 in 2012.This includes more than 400 news and current affairs channel. Technological changes have caused intense competition in news and general entertainment channels, as a result of which there is growth in regional and niche channels. The growth of cable and satellite television and direct to home television services has continued to drive television as the most preferred medium among advertisers. Broadcasters are also tapping into online and mobile media to increase their revenue. This paper seeks to study the impact of privatisation on media policy of the Government of India and how it has evolved various institutional mechanisms to deal with the growth of television as the medium to study the effect of privatisation and convergence on media regulations as television is the most powerful medium. The visual images transmitted by television reach large section of the Indian population irrespective of linguistic and cultural differences.