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NEW DELHI: In a diversified and complex media economy where
convergence is setting the tone for future, the Indian government
is working towards an integrated policy that would take care
of all the existing media segments.
A
government panel has recommended to the government to formulate
an integrated national media policy that liberalises and reforms
the broadcasting sector.
In a report containing a total of 64 recommendations, the
Sectoral Innovation Council of the Information and Broadcasting
Ministry headed by former I&B secretary Asha Swarup, has
called for revamping of the broadcast licencing procedures
and the development of an alternative to TAM ratings, which
is a mechanism to capture television viewing trends.
The
report was submitted to I&B Minister Ambika Soni in New
Delhi on Thursday.
The council said there is a need for a national media policy
that addresses the new media landscape and integrates all
the segments. The council has also called for regulation of
media education.
The primary objective of the Council was to suggest a policy
ecosystem in which new ideas would be integrated into policy
initiatives by the Government.
Soni said the recommendations made by the council for different
sectors of media and entertainment sector would act as a roadmap
for policy making. The council in its report has analysed
the growth potential of the media & entertainment Industry
and recommend changes in critical segments such as broadcasting,
print media, animation, gaming and VFX, media education and
films.
The council has said content innovation is required in radio
segment and it would be possible only if the government comes
up with a separate licensing model for niche channels. It
said the ministry should have a formal arrangement by which
community radio stations could provide community-based content
to AIR and AIR in turn can provide capacity building and training
to CRS workers in content creation, management and operation
of stations.
The
council said digitisation of Doordarshan and All India Radio
will release airwaves, which could be used for creating a
public service broadcasting fund. This fund could be utilised
exclusively for public service broadcasting.
The council suggested formulation of a national film policy
that will address the role of the government vis-à-vis
the private sector, upgrading of film institutes in the country
to centres of excellence. In the long term, these centres
of excellence could become part of a central university of
films, broadcasting and animation through an appropriate legislation.
The council wanted that the government to have a national
policy for animation, gaming and VFX too. It felt the government
enter into co-production treaties in the animation sector
to ensure flow of international projects to India. The ministry
could also consider giving the responsibility to the Children’s
Film Society and Doordarshan to produce animated content and
create Indian intellectual property.
It suggested that the government make available reliable single
source for data on advertising on all media so that advertisers
have credit data to base their decisions on.
The council the government needs to interact with key stakeholders
and expedite a consensus on developing an alternative to TAM
so that an appropriate mechanism is developed with industry
participation to study audience viewing and listening behaviour
and bring out reports on weekly basis.
Media education should be regulated to ensure orderly growth
of the discipline as part of higher education. Like medical
education and technical education, media education should
be regulated by a new organisation known as Media Education
Council, to be a part of I&B. The academic course for
media education should be in line with the UK/US Universities
and vocational courses as part of requirement of the industry.
The Media Education Council should be assigned the task of
setting up curriculum for all levels so that standardised
curriculum with national accreditation becomes a possibility,
the council said.
There is need to make IIMC, FTII and SRFTI into real centres
of excellence, the Council said. The Government should reformat
the course curriculum and improve faculty at the institutes
and either convert these institutions into separate universities
or make them a part of one central university.
The council was set up on 28 July 2011 as part of the government’s
initiative of declaring 2010-2020 as the decade of innovation.
Accordingly, the government has set up a National Innovation
Council with Sam Pitroda as its Chairman. The I&B Sectoral
Innovation Council is part of this effort.
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