Broadcasting issues in India to be reviewed

New Delhi, Oct 21 (ANI): Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni has said that there is the vital need to evolve a mechanism to address broadcasting concerns in the country.

Addressing an interactive discussion on 'Government Regulation or Self-Regulation' in here on Tuesday, Soni said that concerns like broadcasting content and shortage of spectrum needed to be addressed.

"Let there be a mechanism, which not only addresses the concerns of what we see but also concerns like shortage of spectrum; how much bandwidth one broadcaster is going to get, should there be any rule governing more and more channels, 500 channels have already given permission. This can be addressed," she added.

She also pointed out that there were certain specific deficiencies in the coverage and telecast of the events by the private owned television channels during the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

"After 26/11when we all saw what happened in Mumbai, an attack on sovereignty of India. On an occasion as grave as that, there were deficiencies all around, those of us who should have been there to give authorised information and those of us who were broadcasting the information were affected by that information. There should have been a better connect. In the absence of a connect, we felt that the enemy who attacked us could probably have benefited," she said.

She noted that the Ministry wanted to address concerns, based on complaints from the viewers and cross section of the society.

Ambika Soni said at least 10-15 issues regarding television coverage like sting operations and media trials of sub-judice cases where a growing need for self-restraint was felt.

She, however, made it clear that the government would not do anything that would impose a regulator for the broadcasting media and emphasised on interaction and dialogue among all stakeholders to evolve the broadest possible consensus on this sensitive issue. (ANI)