Will 11 Crore TVs Stop Working? PIB Clears The Air On Viral Claim

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has dismissed as fake a viral social media claim alleging that the Centre’s proposed broadcasting rules would force 11 crore televisions to shut down, increase cable and DTH subscription charges by four to six times, impose heavy licensing fees and destroy millions of jobs.

In a fact-check posted on Monday, PIB clarified that the Union Government has not introduced any rule that would increase television subscription charges or disrupt TV services across the country.

A social media post claims that the @MIB_India‘s new draft rules will force 11 crore TVs to shut down, increase cable and DTH charges 4 to 6 times, impose heavy licensing fees, and destroy millions of jobs.#PIBFactCheck

❌ This claim is FAKE. The Union Government has NOT… pic.twitter.com/aAdsGOdVQf

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) July 20, 2026

The clarification came after misleading posts circulated online regarding the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026.

PIB said the Ministry has only published the draft rules for public and stakeholder consultation, which will remain open until July 27, 2026.

Rejecting the viral claims, PIB stated that the draft rules contain no provision to increase cable or DTH subscription fees or impose additional charges on consumers. It explained that the proposed framework seeks to consolidate various existing guidelines governing television and radio broadcasting into a single set of rules.

The objective is to simplify and harmonise the regulatory framework while promoting ease of doing business in the broadcasting sector.

The government also reiterated that the consultation process is intended to gather feedback from stakeholders before finalising the rules.

PIB urged citizens not to rely on unverified social media posts and advised them to verify such claims through official government sources before sharing them.

The draft rules aim to simplify broadcasting regulations without increasing costs or restricting television services.

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