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DELHI: The government has every intention of introducing the Broadcasting Services
Regulation Bill 2007 as soon as possible since it is the most democratic legislation
in the entire world as far as the electronic media is concerned, Information and
Broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said here today. Speaking
on the sidelines of a function where he released the ‘Taking the UPA Report
Card to the Masses’ report by the Lokmat media group, the minister also announced
that there will be one more meeting on both the Bill as well as the Content Code
with the stakeholders, but refused to specify when it would take place.
He
asserted that there was no opposition to the Broadcast Bill from any quarter and
therefore there was no reason to delay the legislation.
Asked about the
Content Code, he said a proof of the country’s democratic functioning lay
in the fact that the Code and earlier the Bill had been placed on the Ministry’s
website www.mib.nic.in so that people could react.
He said none
of the developed countries, including the United States or European countries
had a legislation which was so much in tune with the changing times as the proposed
Bill. Meanwhile,
sources in the ministry told Indiantelevision.com that a high-level meeting
of officials may be held in a day or two to consider extending the last date of
receipt of comments of the people to the Content Code. At present, the ministry
has sought remarks from all concerned by 5 August.
However, it is understood
that the newly-activated News Broadcasters Association has submitted a memorandum
protesting the provisions which they claim will be curbing their freedom of expression,
and have also sought more time. In addition, the NBA has said that the news channels
are headed by mature people and therefore the ideal way to work the Code would
be by self-regulation. Also
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