UPA has no intention to curtain FoP: Dasmunshi

New Delhi, July 2: Reacting to the widespread concern over the media reports that the government was bringing in a Broadcasting Law that would drastically curtail the Freedom of the Press, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi today denied that the UPA government has any intention to do so.

In a statement tonight he said, the reports were not ''factually correct'' though he would not say that they were ''misleading''.

The Minister said the powers, which according to the reports would be given to the district police authorities under the new law, were already being enjoyed by them under the existing Act.

He also denied that no judicial remedies will be avaible to media organisations under the new law.

''During the Budget session of Parliament, I had submitted before the Houses the intention of the government to bring in a comprehensive legislation to cover various broadcasting issues. It is the endeavor of my Ministry to bring such a legislation before the Parliament during the Monsoon Session,'' Mr Dasmunsi said.

The Minister said the idea of such a legislation is to facilitate and develop the carriage and content of the broadcasting in an orderly manner and also to facilitate development of broadcasting services in National and Public interest.

The news item in a section of the Press was ''missing the wood for the trees''. ''The report on the regulatory powers of the District Magistrates, Sub Divisional Magistrates and Police Commissioners referred to in the news item creates an impression that these are new proposals to curb the freedom of broadcasting services/electronic media,'' he said.

Mr Dasmunsi said, ''I reiterate that most of these powers for Authorised officers are already available through legislation for more than a decade in the country. The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 has such provisions in Chapter III.'' Most of the Offences And Penalties mentioned in the news item are already available in Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and other guidelines issued by the government from time to time, the minister said.

He said the effort of the Government would be to have a comprehensive legislation incorporating all the existing provisions and Guidelines and various concerned Acts.

The report also said that the Bill has provision for the compulsory carriage of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha channels. ''I would like to mention that this again is not a new proposal. This is already provided for through notifications issued under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 and has been carried by all cable operators for many years.

Mr Dasmunsi said, ''The news item gives an impression that judicial remedies for the aggrieved parties are not envisaged in the proposed legislation. This is far from truth. I would like to draw the attention to appropriate provisions of the TRAI Act wherein Civil Courts do not have jurisdiction to entertain certain suits or proceedings in respect of matters for which the Appellate Tribunals are empowered. Obviously this is to provide speedy remedy and to avoid concurrent jurisdiction of Tribunals and Civil Courts.'' ''The Broadcasting Regulatory Authority can also have more or less similar Appellate system that is available for TRAI. However, it is too premature to discuss on issues which are only at the drafting stage,'' he said.

Mr Dasmunsi said every true democracy in the world encourages plurality of views, freedom of expression. Media should be the last sector to have a monopoly. No vibrant democracy can allow accumulation of interest in print, radio and TV broadcast segment. ''We have to ensure diversity of news and views. Such a system of cross media ownership restrictions is followed by all major democracies in the world such as US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, South Korea. I can understand the concerns of certain sections of media on provisions of cross media ownership restrictions,'' the Minister said.

However, these will be deliberated in the Cabinet and discussed and debated in the Parliament, he added.

UNI