In its letter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) over the ‘self-declaration certificate’ (SDC), the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IDBF) has raised various challenges and concerns, including the tight deadline for seeking compliance from advertisers starting 18th June. Highlighting how such an implementation of the said order without engaging with the stakeholders and addressing their concerns would defeat the spirit and purport of the said order, it has urged the MIB to extend the compliance period by 45 days.
As per the Supreme Court directive, advertisers/advertising agencies have been asked to submit a SDC on the lines contemplated in particular clauses of Rule 7 of the Cable Television Network Rules, on the Broadcast Seva Portal. It had further directed the advertisers/ advertising agency to provide proof of submission of such certificate to the concerned broadcaster/ printer/ publisher/ electronic media prior to any advertisement being broadcast/ published on any television channel/ print/ electronic media respectively. Further, no advertisements shall be permitted to be run without an SDC.
IBDF noted that the implementation by June 18 would raise practical concerns/ challenges for its members who represent a diverse group of broadcasters having national and regional television channels.
“The said shift would not only be time-consuming but would also have tremendous impact upon the business of the stakeholders. The implementation of the said by 18th June would delay the release of the advertisements. There are scores of advertisements which are aired on various television channels on a daily basis and consequently, we request that sufficient time may be provided for such a massive transition,” it noted.
Read more: Why digital advertisers find Self-Declaration Certificate for ads impractical
It added that the time granted is insufficient to ensure compliance by all the stakeholders. Further, it feels that such a transition should also be in line with the Government’s stated policy on Ease of Doing Business. “Any such immediate transition without industry readiness can severely impact the entire M&E sector including the consumers and in turn adversely affect the economy of the country,” it said.
In its letter to the ministry, IBDF also highlighted the part of the Advisories which has put an obligation upon the broadcasters/ publishers to verify the authenticity of the self-declaration certificates through the Broadcast Seva Portal. It stated that Supreme Court order had not put any such obligation upon the broadcasters/publishers which is now sought to be imposed by way of the Advisories. Seeking clarity, the body has requested the ministry to revise and reword specific sections of the advisories.
In the past, the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) in its letter to the Ministry has noted that given numerous advertisers and their scale in the country, uploading SDC for each ad is a herculean task, especially for a large number of print publications in all diverse languages and on digital platforms including ads by influencers. Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) has quoted the same as a formidable task and counter-productive and noted the challenges it may pose in programmatic advertising.
The Ministry of I&B meeting with media and advertising industry bodies and stakeholders is scheduled for June 11 to address and discuss the issue of advertisers giving SDCs for broadcasting and publishing ads on TV, print, digital, and radio. It is said to include executives not only from Google and Meta but also from the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), and Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), among others.