I&B ministry  plans Dedicated broadcast regulator.

              I&B ministry has begun the process of creating a dedicated broadcast authority to look after all the aspects of the business of broadcasting including the radio sector. This authority, several names for which are already under final consideration of the I&B ministry, will act as a regulator and a focus centre for broadcast related aspects including content, carriage, distribution, tariff, foreign investments, licensing among others.

          This has become a necessity as the broadcast sector has seen a double-digit growth in recent years. Speaking to media  at the sidelines of a media-interaction, I&B minister Ambika Soni said: “The broadcast sector is growing at a healthy rate. It is expected to grow even faster in the future. We believe there is a requirement of a dedicated broadcast authority or a body which will look at every possible aspect of the sector.”

         Currently, there are around 550 television channels with the necessary approvals to conduct business. In the radio sector alone there are 250 operational FM stations across 90 cities. In the proposed third-phase of FM radio expansion, there will be another 800 new FM stations that will come up for auctions. In the cable sector, there are over 6,000 registered cable operators reaching over 85 million cable homes.

         Though the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) looks after the broadcasting business too, the I&B ministry feels that Trai’s involvement in broadcast matter tends to delay its own policy decisions.

         In order to thrash out the modalities of the proposed broadcasting authority, the I& B ministry has made the Secretary in-charge of initiating and interacting discussions with all stakeholders in this regard. I& B secretary Raghu Menon has already had several rounds of talks with broadcast sector bodies like the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, News Broadcasters Association and others. In future too, the I&B ministry will continue to engage in dialogues with various stakeholders.

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