Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is conducting trials for Direct to Mobile (D2M) Broadcasting in collaboration with Prasar Bharati, IIT Kanpur and Saankhya Labs. During a half day Symposium on ‘Emerging Trends and Technologies in Broadcasting Sector’, organized by TRAI on the sidelines of India Mobile Congress (IMC-2024), the government officials highlighted that Media & Entertainment sector is projected to reach ₹3.08 trillion by 2026.
Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) in his special address, highlighted the Ministry’s role in shaping growth-oriented policies and initiatives for enabling the 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.
Anil Kumar Lahoti, Chairman, TRAI underscored the significant growth trajectory of the Media & Entertainment sector, which is projected to reach ₹3.08 trillion by 2026, driven by the rapid expansion of new media platforms.
Lahoti highlighted that Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting is emerging as an alternative content delivery technology allowing simultaneous broadcasting even without 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 promoting overall growth of the broadcasting sector. TRAI has recently provided its recommendations for the formulation of National Broadcasting Policy.