I&B Ministry
MIB sets OTT accessibility rules, mandates captions and audio description
NEW DELHI: The government has asked OTT platforms to make their shows easier to watch and hear. A new set of accessibility guidelines from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting requires streaming services to add features for viewers with hearing and visual impairments.
The move follows the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and is meant to bring streaming closer to the promise of equal access. In simple terms, if a film or series is coming to an OTT platform, it should not arrive empty-handed. It should come with captions for those who cannot hear well and audio descriptions for those who cannot see clearly.
The guidelines ask platforms to provide at least one accessibility feature each for hearing-impaired and visually-impaired viewers. That could be closed captions, open captions, Indian Sign Language interpretation, or audio description. The aim is to make content understandable without turning the viewing experience into a technical chore.
There is, however, a long runway. Platforms have up to thirty six months from the date of the guidelines to ensure that all newly released content carries these accessibility features. Older titles in their libraries are not under strict timelines, but companies are encouraged to add features gradually.
The rules also go beyond the show itself. User interfaces, whether on mobile apps, smart TVs or websites, must be designed to work with assistive technologies. Accessibility labels such as CC for captions, AD for audio description and ISL for sign language must be displayed clearly so viewers know what to expect before pressing play.
Some content types get a free pass. Live events, music, podcasts, and short form content like ads are exempt because of practical challenges in real time captioning and description.
OTT publishers will also need to file accessibility conformance reports. The first report is due three years from now, followed by quarterly updates. Complaints from viewers will follow a three tier system, starting with the platform itself, moving to self-regulatory bodies, and finally reaching a government monitoring committee if needed.
For the streaming industry, the message is clear. Accessibility is no longer a nice extra tucked away in settings. It is fast becoming part of the main feature, and in a country where streaming audiences run into the hundreds of millions, that could make a very big difference to who gets to enjoy the show.
I&B Ministry
MIB cancels licences of three JioStar sports channels
Unchi Udann, Sports18 Hindi HD and Sports18 2HD permissions revoked on 20 February 2026; follows integration into Star Sports.
MUMBAI: JioStar’s sports channels just got benched by the regulator because when the ministry says “off air”, even the biggest players can’t argue with the whistle. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has revoked the uplinking and downlinking permissions for three non-news television channels operated by JioStar India Private Limited. The licences for Unchi Udann (previously Sports18 Hindi), Sports18 Hindi HD, and Sports18 2HD were cancelled on 20 February 2026, with the ministry citing a business decision by the broadcaster.
The move comes after JioStar integrated all Sports18 channels into the Star Sports Network, effective 15 March 2025, effectively consolidating its sports offerings under one umbrella. In India’s tightly regulated broadcast landscape, private satellite channels require MIB permissions for both uplinking (transmission to satellite) and downlinking (reception from satellite), making such cancellations a formal end to a channel’s on-air life.
This isn’t an isolated case. Earlier this month, on 12 February 2026, Living Foodz HD also surrendered its licence, with MIB noting the channel’s uplink and downlink had already been suspended since 13 November 2023 due to non-economic and financial viability issues.
For viewers, the change is largely seamless sports content continues uninterrupted on Star Sports channels. For JioStar, it’s a quiet pruning of legacy brands as the company sharpens focus on a unified sports portfolio in a crowded market. In a sector where spectrum and permissions are hard-won, losing them can feel like a red card but when it’s part of a deliberate strategy, it’s more tactical substitution than outright defeat.
