The Consultative
Committee of Members of Parliament attached to the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting, unanimously supported the immediate
setting up of Broadcasting Regulatory Authority. In its meeting
held here today the Members, cutting across the party lines said
that this was necessary in order to address the concerns of public
order and decency, preservation of cultural diversity, prevention
of excessive depiction of sex and violence, national security,
integrity and sovereignty of the country and protection of children
from undesirable programmes and advertisements.
Presiding over the
meeting, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Smt. Sushma
Swaraj fully shared the concerns of the Members and said that
the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would consider setting
up of an independent Broadcasting Regulatory Authority. She said
the earlier Broadcasting Bill was not pursued in view of the introduction
of the Communication Convergence Bill – 2001 which had a provision
for setting up of a panel for content regulation. The members
felt that in case of a delay in finalizing the Convergence Bill,
the Government should move ahead towards regulating content since
the programmes on various television channels were becoming increasingly
unwholesome. Merely waiting for the Convergence Act would not
help.
Arguing strongly
for the immediate need of content regulation, Smt. Saroj Dubey
said the women are projected in a very bad light through some
serials and advertisements on some channels. Shri Vijay Darda
said that the proposed Authority must have adequate powers to
punish the defaulters and should not be like the Press Council
of India, which is unable to enforce its decisions. Shri Kartar
Singh Duggal said that the Authority be set up immediately without
waiting for the Convergence Bill’s passing and at the same time
the script writers, artists, producers, broadcasters, advertisers
and the viewers may be made aware of their obligations. Shri E.
M. Sudarsana Natchiappan said the glorification of drinking, smoking,
sex, violence and degraded values must not be allowed to be carried
on. Shri Abdul Rashid Shaheen shared the concerns but wanted detailed
discussions both in and outside the Parliament. The others who
wanted immediate action included S/Shri C. Narayana Reddy, G.
Sukhender Reddy, D. Ramanaidu, Ram Naresh Tripathi, Lalhmingliana
and Ajay Maroo.
