No law to regulate broadcasting sector: Ambika Soni

Categorically ruling out a law to regulate the broadcasting sector, I&B minister Ambika Soni today said the Government was only mulling over a National Broadcasting Authority to address the concerns of this sector.

"Very categorically we are not contemplating bringing in a bill for regulating broadcasting. There is a draft Bill but the feedback has not been good," Soni said at a seminar on piracy here. 

She said that a task force has been interacting with civil society on the issue and they are on the threshold of completing the exercise.

The information and broadcasting minister asserted that the UPA government was committed to the process of self-regulation, but added that it has to become more functional in the current scenario.

Citing examples of homes where there was only one TV and families were forced to watch together programmes not suited to everybody's tastes, Soni said "something has to be done. We have to have a roadmap. 

"Some content is not for family viewing. My concern has to be families who are single TV families. There has to be some rational way forward," she said. 

"But there will be no regulation as such. We are mulling over a National Broadcasting Authority to address the concerns of this sector". 

She continued that when the ministry contacted the broadcasters, they said they were apprehensive about the TRPs, "so we formed a task force on TRPs". 

On the issue of rampant piracy in the film and music industry, she said, "with the growth in the broadcasting sector, piracy in this field, naturally hurts financially as well as the self-respect".

"Some unscrupulous elements are reaping benefits and ill-gotten wealth," she added. 

Arguing that it was basically a question of demand and supply, Soni said, prices of DVDs are high so a lot of people cannot afford them. 

"There is some kind of lacunae which needs to be worked out," she added. 

The minister was speaking at the seminar 'Anti-Piracy and Regulation of Content- Legal Issues'. 

The seminar also debated the legal aspects of the anti-piracy law and how to make it implementable.