The Hindu : Expert to supervise content of electronic channels

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 08, 2003

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National

Expert to supervise content of electronic channels

By K. Balchand

PATNA FEB. 7. The Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Ravi Shanker Prasad, today mooted the possibility of placing the proposed statutory body for regulating electronic channels under the authority of an eminent media personality for professional supervision of their content.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr. Prasad said that it was not necessary, as in the case of the Press Council of India, for the new body governing the electronic channels to be placed under the charge of a retired judge.

Claiming that the Government did not intend to control the regulatory authority, he said the objective was to have a professional body to standardise the substance of news, commercials and entertainment shows to avoid discrepancies that posed a threat to internal security, hurt cultural feelings and caused hatred among the people.

The draft Broadcasting Bill would be finalised only after consulting the owners of private channels. Referring to the application of the Star channel, the first foreign group, seeking unlinking facility, he said the matter would be placed before the Union Cabinet for a decision. The group's decision to launch its India-focus news channel from March 1 would be kept in mind while referring the matter to the Cabinet.

As regards the introduction of the Conditional Access System, a decision was likely in the near future as the task force looking into the matter is supposed to submit its report to the Ministry in a couple of days.

The interest of the consumers would be the main priority while deciding on the functioning of the cable network.

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