Public missing in Broadcast Bill debate
August 15, 2007, Ammu Joseph, India Together
This article discusses the problems with the Indian government's draft broadcast regulation legislation, Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill and Content Code. In addition to vague terminology that could be misused to obstruct freedom of expression and the implications for government control of broadcasting, the author finds that in the debate over ownership, the public is left out and many important issues are sidelined. Broadcasters have conceded that their ethics, standards and content do require cleaning up, preferably through internal processes, but the draft code paves the way for censorship rather than cautious regulation. The legislation also ignores the absence of civil society's contribution to the dialogue, despite the fact that the purpose of these media is to serve public interests. The article gives the US as an example of both the dangers of apathy in telecommunications legislation and the potential for public involvement in media reform. It concludes by calling for the state to establish an autonomous public authority to regulate the media while protecting freedom of expression.