India’s digital media is once again on the brink of government surveillance. The draft Broadcasting Services Act aims to bring cable TV and OTTs under a single regulatory framework, potentially undermining content innovation and autonomy. Kasthuri Akhil asks experts whether the government can regulate what you watch online.
Like the previous attempts, the new self-regulation for on-demand video streaming platforms is also viewed with skepticism in light of increasing censorship. Analysts suggest the proposed bill needs cautious scrutiny. Meanwhile, issues such as stubble burning incidents and groundwater depletion have sparked intense debates in the state of Punjab. Fingers are being pointed at paddy cultivation in Punjab, prompting the Supreme Court to propose phasing out paddy in favor of ‘less water-intensive’ crops. Today’s special report by Thareek Ahmed tries to answer whether Punjab needs a new crop mix.
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It appears that phasing out paddy cultivation with other crops in Punjab could be a possible remedy to tackle air pollution in northern India. As far as the markets are concerned, the shares of new-age companies are on edge. Over the past three months, these stocks have risen between 5 and 30 percent on the stock exchanges, compared to a 1 percent increase in the benchmark indices. Nikita Vashisht spoke to experts to decipher the driving forces behind the rally in shares of new-age companies and assess whether they are a good investment option at current levels. View this report.
New Age companies certainly have a promising future in the Indian stock markets. But just a few hundred kilometers away, Afghan refugees in Pakistan face an uncertain future. The Pakistani government’s decision to expel 1.6 million undocumented Afghans from its territory has created a humanitarian crisis along its western borders. But why is Pakistan deporting Afghan refugees? Listen to this episode of the podcast for answers.
First print: November 18, 2023 | 02:28 IST