Sharmila raps TV channels for focussing on Rakhi Sawant issue

New Delhi, Sep 8 (UNI) Rapping private TV channels for focussing on non-issues like the Rakhi Sawant episode, Censor Board Chairperson and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore today said government regulation of the content was a must in public interest.

''The freedom of expression has been tempered with reasonable restrictions by our forefathers in public interest,'' she said speaking at a seminar on the Draft Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, 2006 organised by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM).

Ms Tagore said the relaxation of government control on broadcasting in 1995 did not help the public cause and today so much of time and money is wasted on the production of those programmes that exclude the issues of a vast section of the society.

News has become sensational and was focussing on non-issues like the Rakhi Sawant episode that dominated the private TV channel news for weeks, she said.

She said though there is no simple answer to who should decide what somebody should see, there has to be some form of regulation and guidelines for content otherwise the commercial media will never make a space for public issues.

However, she said there should be complete transparency in the creation of the proposed broadcast regulator.

Replying to a question, she admitted that there would be some overlapping in the functioning of the Censor Board and such a regulator, which the government will have to remove.

She said those who were opposing such a Regulator had not come out with an alternative.

Speaking as chief guest, Information and Broadcasting Secretary SK Arora sought to allay the fears of the broadcasting industry about what they called ''stringent provisions of the Bill'' and about the government control over the proposed Broadcast Regulatory Authority of India(BRAI).

About the government power to ''hire and fire'' such a regulator, he said regulator in every country is appointed by the government, the only difference lies in the provisions allowing his independent functioning, he said and assured that autonomy of the regulator will be maintained.

Mr Arora said, ''the Government is open to suggestions and incorporate fresh ideas and issues that it may have omitted.'' Addresing various concerns of broadcasters regarding the fast changing broadcasting scene, especially the converging technologies, he said the government will finalise its views after consulting the ministries of Telecommunications, Law, Company Law and Information Technology and other departments.

The broadcasters said the government had not taken them into confidence while drafting the Bill.

They mainly voiced their concern over proposed restrictions on cross media ownership, saying it will stiffle the growth of the emerging industry.

UNI NAZ VA KP1849