Govt Media Agencies Open Archives for Free Use Amid ANI Copyright Controversy

Pratiksha Ghosh 

May 31,2025 :In order to empower digital content creators, India's top public broadcasters and government media outlets have opened their vast content libraries for free or low-cost use across social media platforms, including YouTube. The decision were made  in the wake of a growing copyright dispute between Asian News International (ANI) and several YouTubers.

Institutions like Prasar Bharati, Doordarshan National, All India Radio (Akashvani), and the Press Information Bureau (PIB) have announced that their video, audio, and text-based materials are now accessible to everyone without copyright restrictions. This includes a wide array of historic footage, documentaries, shorts, explainers, and verified data in over 15 languages and 50 thematic categories.

Highlighting the initiative, Akashvani recently posted on platform X (formerly Twitter),stating that  the content creators can use these materials free of charge. 

On the other hand ,Prasar Bharati, in its official statement, reinforced the commitment to transparency and public access, emphasising the availability of “rare and archival content” cleared for unrestricted use. PIB has also echoed the message and urged creators to utilize the resources for public interest storytelling.

Doordarshan National further added that its content is freely accessible 24/7 via digital platforms, notably PBShabd—promoted as a reliable source for media professionals, journalists, and independent creators alike.

This initiative follows a contentious episode involving ANI and content creators such as Mohak Mangal, who alleged misuse of YouTube’s copyright enforcement tools. Mangal reported receiving the copyright strikes after including brief ANI clips—ranging from 9 to 11 seconds—in his videos discussing about the high-profile cases like the Kolkata rape case and Operation Sindoor. He further claimed  that ANI has demanded a hefty licensing fee or penalty to remove the strikes.

Other creators, including Rajat Pawar, recounted similar experiences, alleging that ANI issued strikes and offered to withdraw them upon payment of an annual licensing fee of ₹18 lakh or a penalty, with threats of channel takedowns.

The dispute escalated to legal proceedings, with ANI filing a defamation suit against Mangal in the Delhi High Court. On Thursday, the court instructed Mangal to take down parts of his video that ANI argued were defamatory and damaging to its reputation.

As the conflict unfolds, the government’s move to make public media content openly available offers a much-needed alternative to independent creators seeking verified and copyright-safe content.