Consultations on for regulation of news content on television: Ambika Soni
New Delhi:Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on
Monday said that that her ministry has initiated wide ranging consultations with stakeholders for arriving at a consensus on the issue of regulating the content of television news channels. Soni added that it would also try to create an independent
autonomous body to look into all aspects of the broadcasting sector. The Ministry
has already held consultations with Indian Broadcasting Foundation, Multi System
Operator (MSO) Alliance, News Broadcasters Association (NBA), Broadcast Editors
Association (BEA) and the Cable Operators Federation of India (COFI). The
Government
had earlier constituted a committee for reviewing the Programme and Advertising
Code (Content Code) prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation)
Act, 1995 and rules framed there under, which has submitted its report and made
recommendations in the form of draft 'Self-regulation Guidelines for the Broadcasting
Sector (2008)'. The Ministry had also put up a proposal to set up a Broadcasting
Regulatory Authority of India by enactment of legislation for ensuring orderly
growth of broadcasting services in 2007.
