Rebecca Hawkes ©RapidTVNews | 28-07-2011


The Indian Government has finalised a hike in the net worth requirement for TV channels amid a number of financial norms aimed at preventing the overcrowding of the broadcast sector and regular business failure within it.

Along with the increase in net worth requirement for new channels, The Times of India reports the Information and Broadcasting Ministry will introduce annual fees and a performance guarantee that will be forfeited if the channel or uplink facility does not commence operations within a year of its license being issued.

Net worth for non news channels will be increased INR 1.5 crore to INR 5 crore for a new channel, and from INR 1.5 crore to INR 2.5 crore for each additional channel launched by the same broadcaster. Net worth requirement for news channels, meanwhile, could be increased from INR 3 crore to INR 20 crore, with further channels needing a net worth of INR 5 crore, up from INR 2 crore currently.