Why is it in the news?

• The Digital Advertisement Policy, 2023, has been approved by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India.
• Its primary purpose is to empower the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) to undertake digital media campaigns effectively.

Need and Objectives

• In recent years, there has been a significant shift in the way audiences consume media, with a strong preference for digital platforms.
• This shift is in line with the Digital India program, which has led to a substantial increase in the number of people connected to the internet and using social and digital media platforms.
• As of March 2023, according to TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India), India has over 880 million internet users and more than 1172 million telecom subscribers.
• The policy recognizes the potential of leveraging this vast digital subscriber base and technology-enabled messaging options for effective and targeted delivery of citizen-centric messages.
• By using digital advertisements, the government can achieve cost efficiencies in public-oriented campaigns.

Key Features

Competitive Bidding for Rate Discovery:

• The policy introduces a competitive bidding process to determine advertising rates.
• This process ensures transparency and efficiency in allocating resources for digital advertising campaigns.
• Rates discovered through this process will remain valid for three years and will be applicable to all eligible agencies.

Adaptability to the Digital Landscape:

• The policy acknowledges the dynamic nature of the digital landscape.
• It empowers CBC to onboard new and innovative communication platforms in the digital space with the approval of a duly constituted committee.
• This flexibility allows for adapting to emerging trends and technologies.

Empanelment of Agencies and Organizations:

• CBC can now empanel agencies and organizations operating in the Over-The-Top (OTT) and Video on Demand (VOD)
• Additionally, CBC can leverage the growing number of listeners to podcasts and digital audio platforms through empanelment of digital audio platforms.