Inputs to TRAI on FAST Channel Policy Framework

I would like to share my inputs for the FAST Channel policy decisions that your team is considering to implement.

1. To encourage citizen journalism in a professional registered manner, let there be no paid license fees to establish or register a FAST channel with TRAI but make sure the company being registered should be a Private Limited or a Public Limited company with GST registrations only. (This brings only serious players). TRAI must have a single window system to auto approve licenses when applied by any channel. Banning the license can come only when the channel violates existing laws. (Banning the license should be like cross the bridge when bridge comes). Auto approve all applications but make it mandatory to register via the portal in TRAI.

2. Make direct D2H players like Airtel, Jio or TaTa sky to establish a team to accept such fast channels without a mandatory middlemen. (This eliminates middlemen curating the list of channels recommended for distribution to the D2H players). D2H players must provide a real time dashboard to track live earnings from programmatic ads to the channel owner and advertiser must have live tracking of views based on geographical territory. If a channel owner chooses his channel to be only a pay TV, D2H players must not reject it citing any reasons. This will make sure the channel owners are not misused by telecom and D2H players to build their library bouquets. A channel owner should have the freedom to not be a part of the bouquet curation if he desires. This should not be a reason cited by the D2H players to not on board such channels.

3. Mandate the FAST channel owner company to also have their own web App / ecosystem to broadcast their channel either free or as pay TV.

4. Allocation of channel numbers for fast channels must also be mandatory if the D2H players are on boarding fast channels.

The above policies shall be applicable for news and non news channels. This will make sure there is a level playing field and ease of doing business for new entrants and startups in the field of media and journalism without having a huge burden of cost and procedure for starting channels.

This will also give a good challenge and a healthy competition for the existing satellite channels and remove biased and bought narrative setting environment.

This will also create an ecosystem for people to appreciate and consume news and content irrespective of brand fame.

I hope these ideas and suggestions are taken into serious thought and your policy decisions must provide an ease of doing business.