The government is working on a comprehensive broadcast bill to regulate television channels. The Cable Television Network Act of 1995 and the programmes and advertising codes prescribed in the cable rules are the only guidelines which entertainment channels have to follow. There is hardly any supervision of what news channels beam.
The Shakti Kapoor incident, where a private channel carried out a sting operation to expose Bollywood’s casting couch, is an example of the kind of things that can be done because of the absence of a regulatory authority.
The new broadcast bill will look into all these aspects without stifling media freedom. "We have to do a balancing act and ensure that people’s right to information and press freedom do not lead to invasion of privacy. It is a sensitive issue and we will need to think it through very carefully," an I&B ministry official said.
I&B minister S. Jaipal Reddy has been saying the bill will not try to dictate what is shown on television. Only a regulatory mechanism would be brought in to ensure there are some guidelines for the industry to follow.
Reddy favours a benign body on the lines of the Press Council of India. He said in Parliament he had a quasi-judicial council in mind. It would be a representative body headed by a judge or a retired judge and have members from the television industry, media groups, educationists, lawyers, and other prominent persons.
The council would look into complaints if and when they arose and deal with them accordingly. The draft bill is slated to be placed in Parliament during the monsoon session. After it is drawn up, it will have to be vetted by the law ministry.
The Broadcasting Federation of India is against the government’s decision to set up a regulatory council. Members said self-regulation was the only solution.
"It should be up to the television channels to ensure that what is offered to the public does not infringe upon the laws of decency and good taste. This cannot be imposed from outside," a member said.The federation has already submitted a note to the government on self-regulation.
