Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF)

Why in news?

• The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), the apex body of broadcasters, is being renamed Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) as it expands its purview to cover digital platforms to bring all digital over-the-top streaming firms under one roof.
• The foundation will also form a self-regulatory body (SRB), as per the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 notified by the government.

About the foundation:

• Indian Broadcasting Foundation also known as (IBF) is a unified representative body of the television broadcasters in India.
• The organisation was founded in the year 1999.
• A not-for-profit organization, IBF’s members comprise both News and Non-News Channels (GEC, Sports, Music, Movies, Infotainment, etc).
• Over 400 Indian television channels are associated with it. The organisation is credited as the spokesman of India Broadcasting Industry.
• IBF provides research-based legislative inputs to the Government and carries out advocacy on various fiscal, regulatory and other business issues to facilitate drafting of conducive policies, resolution of issues and introduction of necessary changes in the overall system.
• Since June 2011, Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC), an independent self-regulatory body set up by IBF, has been examining content-related complaints against non-news general entertainment television channels.

Prelims Question

Regarding the Indian Broadcasting foundation, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1.It works under the direct jurisdiction of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
2.Its regulatory powers extend to contents of non-news channels only.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to the Prelims Question