TV broadcasters oppose changes made to Copyright Amendment Bill, 2010

The Statutory licensing provisions under the bill makes it mandatory for content owners and music companies to provide content to television companies without any discrimination and on reasonable royalties as determined by the Copyright Board. This provision had been included, both in the original draft bill and has also been recommended by the Parliamentary Standing Committee after examination of the Bill.

The basic contention from industry players is that the move to exclude the TV industry from statutory licensing could lead to unnecessary complications between music content owners and television broadcasters and could lead to an increase in the number of litigations among them.

In statement sent across to Adgully, the News Boradcasters Association said "The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) notes with regret and apprehension the changes introduced by the Ministry of HRD in the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2010 whereby the provision of Statutory Licensing is sought to be restricted only to "radio" and not to other broadcasting media like television; which changes will inure to the benefit only of vested business interests and act to the serious detriment of the fast growing broadcasting industry. These changes are also an attempt by the Ministry of HRD to overreach the Parliamentary Standing Committee, which had implicitly accepted the earlier dispensation. The NBA hopes the Ministry will restore the earlier provision covering all broadcasting media."

The Bill has already been cleared by the cabinet and is currently awaiting discussion in the Rajya Sabha.