Archive · 22 Aug 2026
India Removes 12-Minute TV Ad Cap, Expanding Broadcaster Flexibility
India has removed a rule that limited television advertising to 12 minutes each hour.
The old rule allowed 10 minutes of regular commercials and two minutes of channel promotions.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced the change on August 21.
The government says television has changed greatly since the limit was introduced in 2006.
Viewers now have many more channels through cable, satellite and internet-based services.
The government also says television companies compete with digital platforms that do not have the same advertising limit.
Broadcasters can now decide more freely how much advertising to show.
This may give channels more ways to earn money.
Viewers could see more advertisements, depending on how broadcasters use the new freedom.
The Central Government removed the 12-minute-per-hour television advertising limit by omitting Rule 7(11) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.
The previous “10+2” rule allowed 10 minutes of commercials and two minutes of channel self-promotion per hour.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notified the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2026, in the Gazette on August 21.
The government cited digitisation, more than 900 available channels and competition from digital media as reasons for removing the cap.
Broadcasters can now determine commercial airtime more freely, while viewers could see more advertisements depending on how channels use the change.
- Who
- The Central Government and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting changed rules affecting television broadcasters.
- What
- The government removed the 12-minute-per-hour television advertising cap by omitting Rule 7(11) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.
- When
- The Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2026 were notified in the Gazette on August 21.
- Where
- The change applies to television broadcasting under India’s cable television regulatory framework.
- Why
- The government cited digitisation, increased channel choice, competition within television and competition from digital media, which has no comparable statutory advertising-duration cap.
Broadcaster Flexibility
Viewer Experience
Advertising freedom
Broadcaster Flexibility
Broadcasters can set advertising inventory more freely according to market demand, programming and commercial strategy.
Viewer Experience
Viewers may encounter more advertising if channels use the removed cap to increase commercial airtime.
Competition with digital media
Broadcaster Flexibility
The government says traditional broadcasters faced a disadvantage because digital media platforms had no comparable statutory advertising-duration restriction.
Viewer Experience
The practical effect will depend on whether broadcasters balance additional advertising revenue with audience expectations.
Business environment
Broadcaster Flexibility
The government says removing the restriction will enable fair competition and improve ease of doing business across the media ecosystem.
Viewer Experience
The articles do not establish how much advertising broadcasters will add or how audiences will respond.
- Previous advertising limit
- Up to 12 minutes per hour: 10 minutes of commercial advertising and two minutes of self-promotion.
- Rule removed
- Rule 7(11) of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.
- Amendment
- Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
- Notification date
- August 21.
- Television channels in 2006
- India had 62 television channels when the restriction was introduced.
- Television channels today
- The government says India has more than 900 television channels.
- Distribution platforms
- Digital cable, DTH, HITS and IPTV platforms, with individual systems routinely carrying 300 to 500 channel options.
