Ministry holds discussions on regulating TV content with stakeholders

 A final decision has not been taken on the creation of an independent autonomous body to look into all aspects of the Broadcasting Sector as concerns have been expressed by various sections in the media with respect to the need, scope, functional and financial autonomy and independent functioning of the proposed Regulator.

The Ministry has initiated wide ranging consultations with stakeholders for arriving at a consensus on the issue of regulating the content of television news channels or to create an independent autonomous body to look into all aspects of the broadcasting sector.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni informed Parliament that the Ministry had in 2007 put up a proposal to set up a Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India by enactment of a legislation for ensuring orderly growth of broadcasting services and also placed on its website a draft of the Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2007. 

The Ministry has already held consultations with the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, the Multi System Operator (MSO) Alliance, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the Broadcast Editors Association (BEA), and the cable Operators Federation of India (COFI). 

The Government had constituted a committee for reviewing the Programme and Advertising Code (Content Code) prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and rules framed there under, which has submitted its report and made recommendations in the form of draft ‘Self-regulation Guidelines for the Broadcasting Sector (2008)’ which is available on the Ministry’s website under the heading “Code and Guidelines”.