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NEW DELHI: You can kiss the Broadcast Services Regulation
Bill 2006 - a draft of which is doing the rounds of various
ministries and industry stakeholders these days - goodbye,
Well, almost.
"Whenever I bring a Bill to Parliament, it'd be the most
media-friendly legislation in the whole world," information
and broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi today said,
hinting that the draft is likely to go undergo major revamp.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a Cabinet briefing,
Dasmunsi added that proper consultation with various stake holders
would be held before draft legislation is taken to the Union
Cabinet or Parliament.
Asked by indiantelevision.com whether the Broadcast Bill
2006 would be tabled in Parliament during the forthcoming monsoon
session, the minister said the endeavour be so "after holding
discussions with everybody."
"Our effort and endeavour would be to do so during this
session and if that does not happen, then we'll see in the next
session. We would not do anything to gag the media," Dasmunsi
explained, making it clear that the government has taken serious
view of the all round stringent criticism of a draft media legislation.
The monsoon session of Parliament begins on 24 July and there
seems little time left to hold proper discussions with the industry
on the Bill, which has been drafted surreptiously and left the
players stumped when unraveled by a section of the media.
Making an overt bid to keep in good humour the media, which
came in for praise from the Cabinet today for its sensitive
coverage of the serial Mumbai blasts earlier this week, Dasmunsi
said, "All fears (of broadcast industry) will be removed."
Proposals on cross media restrictions, powers bestowed on authorities
to take action against the media and TV channels on the flimsiest
of grounds, content censorship (which is being drafted separately,
but could be made part of this Bill or legislation at a later
stage) are aimed at strangling the media and cripple business
models in the name of safety against monopolistic trends.
The proposed autonomous Broadcast Regulatory Authority of India
(Brai) has been given powers in the Bill that permit it to run
amok if interpreted incorrectly by it. What's more, Brai's chief
executive would be a serving government official of additional
secretary's rank, drawing a salary from the government.
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