A Look at OTT Platforms’ Journey From Origin, PILs to I&B Ministry

Online streaming platforms and news portals will now be under the jurisdiction of the Union I&B ministry.

Online streaming platforms and news portals will now be under the jurisdiction of the Union Information & Broadcasting ministry as per a notification issued by the Cabinet secretariat. 

(image: Aroop Mishra/ The Quint)

Online streaming platforms and news portals will now be under the jurisdiction of the Union Information & Broadcasting ministry. Essentially, streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hotstar, Zee5, Sony LIV and others will now be under the administration and governance of the Union I&B Ministry.

But before we look ahead to what could happen and whether content will be regulated by the government let’s look at how streaming ecosystem has evolved in India? What led to the previously unregulated space of OTT platforms to come under the Ministry?