I&B Ministry launches Digital Advertisement Policy to tap digital media for awareness campaigns

Govt releases Digital Advertisement Policy 2023 to empower Central Bureau of Communication to undertake campaigns in digital media space. Policy enables delivery of citizen-centric messages in targeted manner, empowers CBC to empanel agencies in OTT/VOD space & leverage digital audio platforms. Policy also streamlines process to place ads on social media & empowers CBC to on-board new communication platforms. Policy introduces competitive bidding for rate discovery, ensuring transparency & efficiency. Enhances digital outreach of govt & improved info dissemination to citizens.

This policy intends to allow the advertising wing of the government to disseminate information and create awareness regarding schemes and programmes run by the State

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Friday released The ‘Digital Advertisement Policy, 2023’ to enable and empower the Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), the Central government’s advertising wing, to undertake campaigns in the digital media space.

“This policy marks a pivotal moment in the CBC’s mission to disseminate information and create awareness regarding various schemes, programmes, and policies of the Government of India in response to the evolving media landscape and the increased digitalisation of media consumption,” said the Ministry.

It said, “The huge subscriber base in the Digital Universe, coupled with technology enabled messaging options through digital advertisements, will facilitate effective delivery of citizen centric messages in a targeted manner, resulting in cost efficiencies in public oriented campaigns.”

The Ministry said that in recent years, the way audiences consumed media had witnessed a significant shift towards the digital space. “As per TRAI’s Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators January–March 2023, the internet penetration in India as of March 2023, is over 880 million, and the number of telecom subscribers as of March 2023 is over 1,172 million,” it said.

The policy will empower the CBC to empanel agencies and organisations in the OTT and Video on Demand Space. The CBC will also be able to leverage the growing number of listeners to podcasts and digital audio platforms through their empanelment. Apart from rationalising its process of empanelling websites, the CBC now for the first time will be able to channelise its public service campaign messages through mobile applications too.

“With social media platforms becoming one of the popular channels of public conversations, the policy further streamlines the process through which the CBC can place advertisements for government clients on these platforms. The policy also empowers the CBC to empanel digital media agencies to enhance its outreach through the various platforms,” said the Ministry.