The Media and Entertainment Council of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) has proposed regulation of “aggressive” television news channels by a public body.
The chamber body said it was necessary to introduce appropriate checks and balances in the system so that freedom and democracy were not misused. “The way forward is co-regulation rather than self-regulation backed by a well-defined law,” it added.
Currently, the domestic television industry has over 600 channels of which about 150 of them are news-based. The industry is estimated to clock revenues of Rs 32,000 crore by the year-end with 14 per cent growth over 2010, according to Assocham.
In the context of modern day broadcasting where one can witness coming up of many regional and national channels, self-regulation may not be enough. Present provisions in programming and advertising codes under the Cable Act and News Broadcasters Association's code of ethics are also not sufficient and comprehensive, the chamber said.
“There is need for more clarity through elaborate stakeholder consultations to move forward in an inclusive and balanced manner,” the chamber said.
According to the chamber, the Content Code and Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill does not cover legal interests of consumers. Privacy rights and protection of relevant stakeholders have also not been given appropriate attention, it said.