| Even while agreeing with the information and broadcasting
ministry that there is an imperative need to check content on TV channels,
private or otherwise, the parliamentary panel has observed, "The
committee do(es) not endorse its view with the ministry that Prasar
Bharati should be empowered to check or regulate...programme/ads being
broadcast by cable operators or satellite channels."
The I&B ministry had submitted before the Standing Committee
on information technology (that also deals with matters related
to broadcasting) that previous attempts to check indecent programming
and advertising on TV channels, specifically private ones, had come
a cropper. A proposed omnibus legislation encompassing IT, telecom
and broadcast sectors too has lapsed.
Pointing out that the ministry itself would not be able to control/regulate
content on TV channels as "there is no regulatory mechanism,"
a ministerial representative had submitted before the parliamentary
panel that Prasar Bharati be empowered through an amendment in the
Prasar Bharati Act and other related legislation to act as a content
regulator.
Prasar Bharati is an autonomous organisation that manages the affairs
of Doordarshan and All India Radio.
"The representative of the ministry added that implementation
of this Act (the Cable TV Networks [Regulation] Act, 1995 in this
context (indecent and surrogate programming and advertising) had
been found hardly fruitful because these (designated) authorities
were extremely busy and hardly had time to concentrate on these
issues," the standing panel report states.
According to the report, a copy of which is available with indiantelevision.com,
"The ministry, therefore, requested that Prasar Bharati should
be empowered in the Act to prohibit, regulate and check on quality
and indecent content being telecast by satellite channels or cable
operators."
Interestingly, the reason given by the parliamentary panel in not
favouring Prasar Bharati as a content regulator is because Prasar
Bharati was an interested player in the whole game as a broadcaster.
"Keeping in view the fact that Prasar Bharati and cable operators
(meaning private satellite channels) are competitors to each other,"
the pubcaster's candidature could not be 'endorsed'," the panel
noted in its fourth report tabled in Parliament on Monday.
However, the panel directed the government to take up the content
regulation issue in all earnest, giving it "top priority without
delay."
Pointing out that the panel should be kept apprised of developments
on this front, the report states, "Government should initiate
amendments in the existing Cable TV Network (Regulation) Act in
order to constitute an independent and permanent regulatory body."
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