MIB Set to Launch Online LCO Registration System

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting(MIB) plans to introduce a unified online enrollment system for local cable operators (LCOs), which will increase the enrollment validity from one year to five years, with the goal of enhancing business operations in the cable television industry, sources say.

The Ministry plans to change the Cable Television Networks (CTN) Rules, 1994, to mandate the registration of Local Cable Operators via the Broadcast Seva portal. Once the changes are implemented, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will serve as the primary authority for LCO registration.

Currently, LCOs are required to register at local head post offices within their operational areas. According to data from the Department of Posts in January 2022, there are 81,706 LCOs operating across the country.

A government official, speaking anonymously, stated, "The ministry is likely to notify the new online registration system this week. It has been a long-standing demand of the industry."

Currently, the offline registration process prevents the ministry from maintaining a central database, limiting its ability to take action against LCOs in case of violations. LCOs are required to pay a one-time processing fee of Rs.500 for registration or renewal.

Under Rule 5 of the CTN Rules, 1994, Local Cable Operators deliver last-mile connectivity by relaying signals from Multi-System Operators to subscribers using their own infrastructure.

The All- India Digital Cable Federation( AIDCF), which represents public MSOs, informed the Parliamentary Committee on Communication and Information Technology that around 300,000 workers have lost their jobs over the last four years, with another 300,000 facing the trouble of losing job due to a significant drop in the cable television subscriber base.

According to a FICCI-EY report, the cable TV subscriber base has dropped from 72 million in 2020 to 62 million in 2023.