India drops 12‑minute TV ad cap, giving broadcasters full commercial freedom
The Government of India has formally moved to scrap the long‑standing 12‑minute advertising cap on television, signalling a major shift in broadcast regulation. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting confirmed that the “10+2” rule under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, will be removed once the amended notification is published in the Gazette.
The cap, introduced in 2006, restricted channels to 12 minutes of advertising per clock hour. With the television landscape expanding from 62 channels to more than 900, the ministry stated that the rule no longer reflects current market realities. Officials noted that broadcasters have been operating at a disadvantage compared with digital platforms, which face no duration‑based advertising limits.
The change is expected to give networks greater flexibility in monetising inventory, though industry executives acknowledge that viewer tolerance and competitive pricing will determine how aggressively channels expand their ad loads.
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In the UK, broadcasters follow a similar 12-minute cap set by regulator, Ofcom.
