Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L. Murugan inaugurated a half day Symposium on ‘Emerging Trends and Technologies in Broadcasting Sector’,organized by TRAI on the sidelines of India Mobile Congress (IMC-2024),today in the esteemed presence of Chairman, TRAI Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti; Secretary, Ministry of I&B, Shri Sanjay Jaju; and Secretary, TRAI, Shri Atul Kumar Chaudhary.This event is being held in the backdrop of recent technological advancements in the industry and their growing ensuing impact.

Shri Atul Kumar Chaudhary, Secretary, TRAI, opened the event with a warm welcome address. He underlined that today's symposium is in the furtherance of the attempts of TRAI to encourage new discussions and deliberations in the sector, addressing the changes that may be required in the regulatory framework in light of recent developments.

Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) in his special address, highlighted Ministry’s role in shaping growth-oriented policies and initiatives for enabling broadcasting sector.He emphasized the potential of digital radio as an affordable mass communication tool that optimizes spectrum use and delivers better sound quality. He also discussed the benefits of Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting, which enables content delivery directly to mobile phones. He highlighted that Prasar Bharati, the public service broadcaster in collaboration with IIT Kanpur and Saankhya Labs, is conducting D2M trials using both high-power and low-power transmitters. He also spoke on the transformative potential of 5G, especially when combined with immersive technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, which could offer highly engaging broadcasting experiences. Additionally, he mentioned the significant growth is expected in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector, which has the potential to boost startup culture, foster creativity, and enhance the experience of content consumption.

In his keynote address, Shri Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI underscored the significant growth trajectory ofM&E sector, which is projected to reach ₹3.08 trillion by 2026, driven by the rapid expansion of new media platforms.He emphasized the transformative power of immersive technologies, which provides more engaging and interactive experience. He highlighted that Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcastingis emerging as an alternative content delivery technology allowing simultaneous broadcasting evenwithout Internet. Additionally, he stressed upon the benefits of digital radio, especially in areas lacking television connections and reiterated TRAI's commitment to provide forward-looking recommendations and regulations that protect consumer interests, ensuring level playing field for service providers and promotingoverall growth of broadcasting sector.TRAI has recently provided its recommendations for the formulation of National Broadcasting Policy.

In his inaugural address, Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, emphasized the transformative impact of technological advancements on India's broadcasting sector, with content becoming the primary focus for viewers. He stressed the need to improve access to broadcasting services for vulnerable populations to ensure their inclusion in social, economic, and political spheres. He called for special attention to the AVGC sector, promoting content production in India through a streamlined single-window system to enhance ease of doing business. He noted India's growth as a content-driven economy which is also benefitting content creators. He also mentioned the recent approval of the Union Cabinetto auction FM Radio Channels in 234 new cities to boost local content and create employment opportunities. He reaffirmed the Government's commitment to using technological advancements to strengthen the broadcasting sector's role in economic growth and cultural dissemination, ensuring access to high-quality media content for all.

Today’s symposium aims to explore the practical applications and transformative potential of immersive technologies across various broadcasting use cases.The deliberationsare divided in threeback-to-back sessions (Programme annexed).Session 1 would be on ‘Use of Immersive Technologies in Broadcasting Landscape’, followed by session on ‘D2M and 5G Broadcasting: Opportunities and Challenges’ and the last session on ‘Digital Radio Technology: Deployment Strategies in India’.The speakers in these sessions include the Communication sector, technology experts from television and radio broadcasting fraternities, device and network manufacturers, technology giants and Government. There are more than 100 national and international participants attending this symposium.

For any information/clarification about the symposium, Shri Deepak Sharma, Advisor (B&CS), TRAI, may be contacted on advbcs-2@trai.gov.in.

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SB/DP/ARJ

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

Symposium on

“Emerging Trends and Technologies in Broadcasting Sector”

17^th October, 2024 (0900 – 1330 Hrs)

Venue: Session Hall – JAL, Hall No.5,

First Floor, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi

Programme

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