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NEW DELHI: It was day of lobbying here as print and electronic
media met up with a government official on Thursday to express
serious concern over a draft Broadcast Bill 2006, which despite
being in formative stages has the potential of being restrictive.
The underlying theme of a meeting that media company representatives
had with I&B secretary SK Arora was that proposed media
norms were simply ways to gag the media, even if it’s still
to get a Cabinet nod, and had to be opposed.
More irksome and dangerous, media companies felt, was an attempt
by the government to try draft a legislation without consulting
the industry, contrary to what had been done with other media
norms (especially the PRB Act relating to the print medium),
which smacked of total lack of transparency.
Though Arora did not hand out any assurances at the meting
with the media committee of the Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII), he did admit that he would try preparing a concept
paper based on a draft Cabinet note relating to the Broadcasting
Bill 2006 for industry’s feedback.
The senior government official, who also received a representation
from the Indian Broadcasting Foundation separately later in
the day, tried his best to allay fears of the media and conveyed
that some of the so-called draconian features and restrictions
already existed in some form or other in existing pieces of
legislation.
According to some of those who attended the meeting, when
confronted with the fact that proposed norms would hamper
fair business activities, Arora opined that government's endeavour
was not to be restrictive, but facilitate business and create
a level playing field for all.
Those who attended the meeting included the India Today Group
chief Aroon Purie, Business Standard's CEO and editor T N
Ninan, Zee group’s Jawahar Goel, Discovery Network India’s
EVP and MD Deepak Shourie, NDTV's Narayan Rao and Star Group
India CEO Peter Mukerjea, The Tribune newspaper editor HK
Dua and Reliance-Anil Ambani group’s Tarun Katial.
That Arora had very little to offer to the media, except carry
their feedback to his political masters, was evident when
Reliance’s Katial brought up the topic of allowing news
and current affairs on private radio FM stations and drew
a blank from the government official.
Though CII is yet to issue an official statement on the meeting,
opinion seems to be divided.
While one media representative termed the meeting “an
exercise into futility with lot of work still to be done,”
another said that most media companies felt a bit re-assured.
However, on one issue there was unanimity: the need for electronic
and print apex bodies to come together on a common platform
to raise voice against restrictive media legislation.
Increasingly as the government faces flak over the proposed
Broadcast Bill, which smacks of restrictions and attempts
at media muzzling by introducing a government-controlled regulatory
body, industry too is scurrying to get its act together.
In the middle of June, the I&B ministry had circulated
a draft Cabinet note on regulating broadcasting services amongst
other ministries for feedback. When leaked in the media, it
kicked up a furore.
Since then, I&B minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi has been
blowing hot and cold. First he denied existence of the draft.
Then he backtracked to say he’d bring in a media-friendly
legislation in Parliament to emphasize the very next day that
he does not propose any “dilution” or “pollution”
in the draft.
While the government would want to bring the Bill in Parliament
in the monsoon session, starting from Monday next, other ministries
are yet to send in their feedback that may take up to 15 days
for compilation, according to an official of the I&B ministry.
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