The debate over media regulation intensified today with Vice President Hamid Ansari and Press Council Chief Markandey Katju saying self-regulation has failed and that the media must be placed under the proposed Lokpal or some other regulatory authority.

          Ansari and Katju utilised the occasion of the National Press Day celebrations to drive home the point in their speeches that self-regulation is no regulation.

         Vice-President called for a White Paper on various aspects of media regulation after a national debate with all the stakeholders involved. “This should lead to further consultations and evolution of a broad national consensus so that appropriate frameworks can be put in place combining voluntary initiative, executive regulation and legislative action, as appropriate,” he said while delivering the inaugural address at the National Press Day function organised by the Press Council of India.

       “Our democracy is poorer without active media watch groups engaged in objective analysis of the media, discerning prejudices and latent biases, and subjecting the media to a dose of their own medicine,” said Ansari.

      “It is heartening to see that 60 per cent of journalists on TV discussing the issue of regulation agree that outside regulation is the need of the hour and self-regulation is not working,” he said, adding that “neither self-regulation, nor government regulation but a different arrangement with enough representation from other stakeholders was important to ensure accountability in media.”

           Referring to the objections on having any media regulation, Ansari questioned if the constitutional safeguards on freedom of speech be used to evade regulation of the commercial persona of media corporates and groups. "Where does public interest end and private interest begin?"

          In the absence of any other government regulator, he said, the focus has shifted to self-regulation by media organisations, individually or collectively, which he added is yet to succeed as "it is neither universal nor enforceable". "Individual self-regulation has also failed due to personal predilection and the prevailing of personal interest over public interest," he said.

       Katju on his part was dismissive about the self-regulatory mechanism proposed by the broadcast media, insisting they must come under some regulatory authority which could be of its choice. Ansari also said India can take a cue from other stable democracies like the US and UK in dealing with the subject of media regulation and also suggested publication of a White Paper.

      "The experience of other countries shows us the way. The ongoing national debate on the subject should involve all stakeholders leading perhaps to the publication of a White Paper," said Ansari.

       The former Supreme Court judge said if TV channels did not want to come under the Press Council they should choose another body like the proposed Lokpal. Katju however made it clear he was against use of "harsh measures" against the media.

      "Powers must be there, either with me, I said I am not so fond of power and you mention which regulatory authority whom you want to come under because you dont like the Press Council of India because the current Chairman is a very undesirable and wicked person. You can say under which regulatory body you want to come under like the Lokpal," Katju said.Justice(retd) Katju said if media says they will be self-regulated then the same principle may apply for politicians and bureaucrats too.

       "There has to be some regulatory mechanism. You can't say there will be self-regulation, which means nothing. You alone are saints and everyone are sinners? Then what is this paid news, what is (Niira) Radia tapes and what is all these?" he asked.

         He said he was against use of "harsh measures" against media and that he would never support them.

        "I have always been against (using) harsh measures against media. Because media people are intellectuals. They should be persuaded if they go wrong. We should hold discussions with them. That is the way of resolving things in a democracy," the PCI chairman said.
 

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