MUMBAI: In a positive move, news broadcasters got a new lease on life when the Indian Home Ministry extended the current three year term of security clearance given to broadcasters to cover the entire duration of the channel's licence. Currently, licences given to TV channels are for 10 years.

According to a PTI report, the Home Ministry also mentioned to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) that this was a temporary measure and the issue will be relooked by a committee of secretaries that will then give its final recommendations.

This comes as a major relief for broadcasters who had been stumped suddely last year when it came to be known that security licences
given to companies running channels were only valid for three years.
 

News broadcasters approached the MIB through the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) then to consider the extension of the clearance to 10 years which then wrote to the Home Ministry.
 

So for now channels can be rest assured that their security clearances will be 'co-terminus'  with the channel licence.

However, existing companies will have to seek approval from the Home Ministry  if they want to start a new channel or add a new director to the board.