The Union information and broadcasting ministry has been in the news for setting some regulatory norms for TV channels. Union I&B minister Ambika Soni explains some of the decisions taken by her ministry:
You have announced a new set of norms to regulate TV channels. This comes after what the government felt was biased coverage of Anna Hazare’s campaign. What prompted these moves?
Do you think that once the movement was over in August, we decided to come out soon after with the guidelines? Perhaps those who obtained broadcast licences forgot to read the guidelines on the ministry’s website. Licences to TV channels are given for 10 years. What does one do after that? All we did was to lay down the rules for renewal, subject to TV channels observing the programme code passed in Parliament. These guidelines have been on the website since February. Also, there are uplinking and downlinking guidelines spelling out the reasons for cancellation of licences. We have said that any decision (on cancellation) will be taken only after consultation with self-regulatory bodies and organisations. What’s wrong with that? The reason behind raising the investment level is to keep non-serious players out.
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