The nearest that the CMP comes to media, if it can be called that, is a passing mention to information technology where it is stated, "UPA government will set up a National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council to provide a continuing forum for policy dialogue to energise and sustain the growth of manufacturing industry like food processing, textiles, engineering, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, capital goods, leather, and IT hardware."

Though there was no mention of opening up the news sector in both the print and the electronic media to foreign investment, the previous government actually went ahead and formulated guidelines in this regard. In that way, the NDA government could be termed as having taken historic decisions by upturning a cabinet decision of 1956 that banned any foreign investment in the news sector of the print medium with the exception of Reader's Digest..

Meanwhile, coming back to UPA's common minimum programme, it sticks mainly to the promises made before the elections. For example, on the key issue of disinvestment --- pursued aggressively by the previous government --- the ruling alliance made it clear that profit-making public sector undertakings would not be privatised. It has also resolved, amongst other things, to generate more employment and take steps to ensure growth of the economy by at least 7-8 per cent annually over a decade.