The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has repealed regulations imposing a 12-minute advertising cap on television channels, following the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's (MIB) decision to remove the ceiling. According to The Economic Times, TRAI stated that continuing the corresponding provisions under its regulations would no longer be consistent with the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, after the Centre omitted Rule 7(11), which prescribed the 12-minute limit. The regulator has repealed the Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) Regulations, 2012, along with all orders and directions issued under them, effective from the date of publication of the repealing regulations in the Official Gazette. The TRAI issued the Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) (Repealing) Regulations, 2026 on September 10, 2026, formally withdrawing the regulatory framework governing television advertising duration.
The regulatory change comes after the Delhi High Court upheld the 12-minute ad cap as constitutionally valid on May 29, 2026, dismissing petitions filed by broadcasters. As reported by The Economic Times, the court held that the cap struck a proportionate balance between broadcasters' rights and the public interest in the use of broadcast spectrum. However, the repeal will not affect the previous operation of the 2012 regulations or the validity and effect of orders, directions or actions taken under them while they were in force.
India's television industry is undergoing a structural shift as Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST), connected TV (CTV), and application-based linear television move channels from traditional distribution methods (satellite, cable, DTH) to the open internet, challenging TRAI's traditional broadcasting regulation framework. As reported by industry executives, the emergence of application-based distribution raises questions about tariff methodologies and interconnection rules, as broadcasters gain more control over their content delivery and consumer relationships without conventional distributors. A senior executive noted that "the word 'carriage' itself starts becoming outdated when the consumer is accessing a channel through an application." The TRAI's ALTD consultation has already raised questions around tariff methodology and price parity, including situations where channels traditionally offered as pay channels on regulated distribution platforms are made available without separate subscription charges through internet-based services.
The MIB notified the removal of the ad-duration cap on August 21, pointing to significant changes in the television broadcasting sector where the number of channels has risen from 62 in 2006 to more than 900 currently. Media-buying executives expect advertising rates are unlikely to change as increased inventory becomes available following the regulatory change, as reported by Business Standard. However, the shift to internet-based distribution creates fundamental regulatory challenges, as traditional tariff regulation operates within a distribution ecosystem where channels are packaged and sold through DPOs, while on the open internet, broadcasters could control applications, consumer relationships, and potentially subscription prices directly. An industry executive warned that "if the market moves rapidly towards IP, the old categories will become increasingly difficult to sustain."
India could eventually have two parallel television ecosystems: the first comprising satellite, cable and DTH where TRAI's existing tariff, interconnection and QoS regulations remain relevant, and the second comprising FAST, broadcaster applications, CTV platforms and subscription-based linear channels delivered through IP. As reported by industry executives, the irony is that while TRAI's relevance to carriage could decline, regulation around content and platforms could become more important. TRAI has already recognized this shift by issuing a consultation paper on Application-based Linear Television Distribution (ALTD) services in April 2026, explicitly including FAST and covering applications distributing linear channels through smart TVs, mobile devices and web-based platforms. The regulatory question becomes whether a framework designed around traditional broadcasting carriage can remain central when television increasingly becomes something accessed over the internet.
