Over-the-top (OTT) media services

Why in news?

• 15 major OTT platforms in India have signed a self regulation code.

About OTT service:

• An over-the-top (OTT) media service is a streaming media service offered directly to viewers via the Internet.
• OTT bypasses cable, broadcast, and satellite television platforms, the companies that traditionally act as a controller or distributor of such content.
• It has also been used to describe no-carrier cell phones, where all communications are charged as data.
• The term is most synonymous with subscription-based video-on-demand (SVoD) services that offer access to film and television content.
• Netflix, Disney Plus Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video are some of the popular OTT media services.

Regulation of OTT media services:

• There is no regulatory mechanism by the government of India for such platforms.
• This had lead to various concerns over the content including possible lack of age sensitivity.
• 15 OTT platforms, including Netflix, Disney Plus Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Jio Cinema etc, have signed a self-regulation code, to govern their curated streaming content.
• They aim to do this by adhering to disclosures such as, specifying maturity ratings and content descriptors (e.g., language, violence, sex), and it’s effective immediately.
• Each platform which has signed this code created by Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) will also have to set up a consumer complaints department and/or an internal committee.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding over-the-top (OTT) media services:
1.It refers to media content distributed to the viewers over the internet.
2.They are currently not regulated by government of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

 Answer to prelims question