Centre plans broadcast regulator

NEW DELHI: In the light of the delay in getting the Convergence Bill passed, the government seems to be keeping its options open on setting up a Broadcasting Regulatory Authority.
Such a body was previously mooted in the BRA Bill drafted by the United Front government. Lending momentum to this proposal, MPs who are members of the Consultative Committee to the ministry of information and broadcasting called for “immediate setting up of the BRA.�
According to an official press release, the I&B minister, Sushma Swaraj “fully shared the concerns of the members� and said the ministry would consider setting up an independent Broadcasting Regulatory Authority.
However, it stands to reason that if the BRA has to have teeth, it should draw powers from an appropriate statute.
One of the members of the consultative committee, Vijay Darda (independent) even 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.
Ministry officials say that the government may well draft another law (Mrs Swaraj was part of the joint committee which examined the BRA Bill) and seek Parliamentary approval in the Budget session.
If the Convergence Bill manages to get approval in the meantime, the government can withdraw the BRA Bill. Another member, Kartar Singh Duggal (nominated), who pushed for the authority to be set up immediately without waiting for the Convergence Bill’ s passage told ET that the I&B ministry could exercise its option of setting up an “ad hoc body�, which would lapse as soon as the Communication Commission of India (CCI) comes into being.
If that has to happen, the BRA can be set up through an ordinance soon after the Winter session — provided there is some pressing need.
At the consultative committee meeting held here, Mr Duggal said that BRA should be set up and content-providers like script-writers, artists, producers, broadcasters, advertisers and viewers should be made aware of their obligations.
Others rallied to his support saying it was necessary 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.
The need to protect children from undesirable programmes and advertisements was also stressed.
In response, Mrs Swaraj who presided over the meeting said the BRA proposal had not been pursued in view of the introduction of the Communication Convergence Bill ''01, which had a provision for setting up of a panel for content regulation.
However, the MPs felt that merely waiting for the Convergence Act would not help because in case of a delay, the government could not sit back without regulating content. Especially in the light of ‘unwholesome’ programmes on various television channels.
The strongest argument came from Saroj Dubey who said that women were being projected in a very bad light through some serials and advertisements on some channels.
But then, another member Abdul Rashid Shaheen (NC) said a detailed discussion both inside and outside Parliament would be in order.
Tamil Nadu Congress MP Sudarsana Natchiappan said glorification of drinking, smoking, sex, violence and degraded values must not be allowed.