Mumbai, May 1 (PTI) Broadcasting regulator TRAI on Thursday said it did not favour an environment where regulation discriminates between two mediums and puts traditional broadcasting at a disadvantage.

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti, who is also the regulator for the broadcasting sector, said he welcomed new technology to provide better audio-visual experience.

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Lahoti was speaking at a panel discussion titled 'Regulating Broadcast in the Digital Age: Key Frameworks and Challenges' at the ongoing World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) here.

He said while online content was being regulated by IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code), the traditional broadcasting is regulated under the Telecommunication Act and the Cable TV Network Act .

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Lahoti's remarks came at a time when the Supreme Court has issued notices to the Centre on a plea seeking restrictions on seeking restrictions on streaming sexually explicit content across OTT platforms and social media.

Ahmed Nadeem, Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union also favoured regulation of online content, but at the same time asserted that it should not come at the expense of creativity.

"There needs to be a balance in regulation, but it should not kill creativity by over regulating content," Nadeem said.

Philomena Gnanapragasam, the Chief Executive Officer of the Asia-Pacific for Broadcasting Development, favoured monitoring of online content instead of regulation and creators should be encouraged to produce credible content.

Lahoti said the regulator was faced with a challenge as OTT platforms and Free Ad-supported Streaming TV, and traditional broadcasters were regulated under different frameworks.

"We do welcome and want technology to come up and provide better and better audio video experience to the consumer, yet we do not want to create an environment where regulation discriminates between two and puts one medium of broadcasting at disadvantage compared to another or one medium at relatively undue advantage compared to another medium," Lahoti said.

"These are the issues which need examination and would need certain actions," he said.

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