The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has withdrawn rules that limited how much advertising time television channels could broadcast. The move follows a similar decision by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to remove advertisement caps from television regulations. This change affects all television broadcasters and viewers across the country.
What has changed
TRAI has repealed The Standards of Quality of Service (Duration of Advertisements in Television Channels) Regulations, 2012. This earlier regulation had set a limit of twelve minutes of advertisements per hour on television channels as a measure to protect viewer experience.
The repealing regulation came into force on 10 September 2026, the date it was published in the Official Gazette. The earlier rulebook from 2012, along with all orders TRAI had issued under it, no longer applies.
The action was taken after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting removed the same twelve-minute advertisement cap from the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994 on 21 August 2026. Since the parent rule no longer exists, TRAI decided its corresponding regulation would be inconsistent with the new position.
The government stated that the television broadcasting sector has changed significantly since 2012. It noted increased competition among channels, greater choice for viewers, and the need to support fair competition and ease of doing business in the industry. These factors drove the decision to lift the advertisement duration ceiling.
What this means for you
Television channels now have no regulatory limit on how much advertising they can air during broadcasts. This means you may see more advertisements interrupting programmes than before. However, channels will still compete for viewers, which may influence how aggressively they use this freedom. If you find excessive advertisements problematic, you may need to rely on alternative viewing options or streaming services that offer different content models.