Govt to bring Broadcasting bill in next session of Par: Dasmunsi

New Delhi, May 3: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi today criticised the media for indulging in ''human trafficking'' by repeatedly showing the Shilp Shetty-Richard Gere episode and said that a Comprehensive Broadcasting Regulatory Bill would be brought in the next session of Parliament.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a workshop on 'Gender Equality in Indian Media' organised by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to mark the World Press Freedom Day, Mr Dasmunsi said the Comprehensive Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill has already been prepared by his ministry and is now being sent for inter-ministerial debate by the end of this session. So, the bill may come before the Parliament in the next session, he informed.

However, he tried to allay the fears that the bill was aimed at controlling the electronic media and said that its purpose was not to ''muzzle or control the media.'' He said ''India is a democratic country and we believe in giving full freedom to press and having faith in it.'' Earlier inaugurating the workshop, Mr Dasmunsi criticised the electronic media for trying to increase its TRP by indulging in a ''human trafficking of a different sort by depicting the lady (Shilpa Shetty) for commercial purpose which ultimately dragged her to court'' Pointing out that the 28 second incident of Richard Gere kissing Shilpa was shown 100 times by most of the news channels to attract viewers, he said this could not be called journalism but it's human trafficking and could not be appreciated. He said that recently it has become a trend and added that something should be done to check it.

Mr Dasmunsi's comments were significant in view of the proposed bill Broadcasting Regulatory Bill facing criticism as apprehensions have been expressed that it would lead to stringent content regulation, particularly for news channels. If passed, it would be the end of sting operations and coverage of issues where high-profile politicians and personalities are involved. It also provides for punishment like revocation of licence and fines on those who violate the proposed broadcast guidelines, including the new Content Code.

The proposed Bill provides that the government may at any time direct the licensing authority (Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India) to suspend or revoke a broadcasting service's licence, if the service is 'considered prejudicial to friendly relations with a foreign country, public order, communal harmony or security of the state.' It also provides for the setting up of a Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI), which apart from a Chairperson and six whole-time members, would have a government official, not less than the rank of Additional Secretary, as its CEO/secretary.

Mr Dasmunsi pointed out that though freedom of the press was guaranteed in the country, freedom of journalists were not and their rights was being throttled due to many reasons both subjective and objective. He highlighted the ''pitiable condition'' of many women journalists especially those working in the electronic media at a lower level.

He said that about 75 per cent of these journalists were receiving voucher payment and face the threat of being thrown out of a job on missing any assignment due to any unforseen situation. He said that while channel managements organise high-level debate on freedom of press, they were exploiting their own journalists and this needed to be checked.

Asserting that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was having maximum representation of women at the highest level, he said that from August 15, 2007 Prasar Bharti, All India Radio and Doordarshan would have 50 per cent representation of women.

Minister for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury stressed the need for providing creches and child care services to women journalists as it would help them to fulfil their responsibility in a better way. She also called for providing adequate health care facilities to women and said that the latter should overcome their ''martyr syndrome'' and give adequate attention to their own health as only then they could take better care of their families.

On this occasion, eminent journalist and Editor of Hindustan Times Mrinal Pandey highlighted the challenges being faced by women mediapersons and how they have overcome the problems and acquired a pre-eminent position in all forms of media. Women and Child Development Secretary Deepa Jain Singh and IWPC President Sushma Ramachandran also spoke.

UNI