There was a time when satellite TVs were ruling the Indian TV industry. But, it is no longer like that today. Now are the times of internet-based channels like Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video and more – collectively known as the ‘Over-The-Top (OTT)’ services. By the dint of its being an internet-based service, they can be accessed anywhere and anytime on devices like smartphones and tablets too other than smart TVS, desktops and laptops.
The main reason why these services are known as ‘Over-The-Top’ is that the service does not need you to subscribe to a traditional cable channel and provides you the liberty to choose whatever you want to watch as per your choice and time. All that is required is a hardware device, an internet connection, downloading of the app, and getting the subscription plan … and you are on!
Types of Over-The-Top Service (OTT)
Here it may be noted that, while on one side it is getting convenient for viewers to watch anything they want anytime, there is also a flipside to it that has to be considered. This flipside consists of the fact that the content could be unsuitable for viewers of a certain age group, particularly under-age audience. Hence, the topic to regulate the content becomes critically important and needs to be looked at with acute interest.
The types of over-the-top services can be enumerated as the following:
1) Ad Supported Video On Demand (AVOD) – A free service, it gets its revenue from the ads it broadcasts along with video content.
2) Subscription Based Video On Demand (SVOD) – This is a paid service where you can access a whole library of video by paying a fixed amount on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
3) Transactional Video On Demand (TVOD) – This is a pay per view service and needs no subscription.
With the emergence of these services, it is no surprise then to find today people hooked to their smart phones or tablets while having lunch break or commuting on a bus or a metro! One more vital aspect of it is that the content that is broadcasted is not scrutinized and is uncertified, vulgar, pornographic, legally restricted and at times sexually explicit as well. So it is that, there have been PILs / petitions against shows like ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Sacred Games’ about objectifying women as well and requesting to frame guidelines for the same.
Recently, there was one such petition that was dismissed by the Delhi High Court stating that it could not frame any guidelines because there were stringent provisions vide the Information Technology Act, 2000 already in place. And, when the petition was taken to the Supreme Court, the apex court issued notice to the Center in order to regulate the content on OTT platforms dated 5th May, 2019.
So it seems that it will probably take some time for the OTT content to be properly monitered and for regulation of OTT The Information Technology Act 2000 is already in place!
