Sweeping terms in draft broadcast Bill raise red flags on free speech | India News

Expanding its remit from OTT content and digital news to include social media accounts and online video creators; defining a “digital news broadcaster” in sweeping terms; requiring prior registration with government to prescribing standards for content evaluation, the latest draft of the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, 2024, raises several questions on the freedom of speech and expression and the government’s powers to regulate it. The Bill, which seeks to replace the 1995 Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, deals with television broadcasting. In November last year, the Ministry of Information and…

Center red flags ‘disturbing trend’ in state finances

[ad_1] The Center has red-flagged “disturbing trends” in the finances of several states and cautioned them, citing the economic crisis in Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The alert was raised at a high-level meeting of the Center with all state chief secretaries in Dharamsala on June 16-17. Higher budget borrowings by several states, increased future revenue, loans secured against public properties like hospitals, courts and parks and rising electricity arrears were flagged by the Center in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi, ET reported. has learned. reserve Bank of India…