Centre lifts ban on Pak TV
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Oct 21 — Barely a week after assuming office, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Arun Jaitley, today promised a "comprehensive relook" at the Prasar Bharati Act while announcing the lifting of the ban on the telecast of Pakistan TV.

In his first official press briefing after assuming office, organised at the Press Club of India, Mr Jaitley also announced a complete ban on the telecast of a Russian channel which showed pornographic pictures in late night shows.

Mr Jaitley said that the NDA in its manifesto had committed itself to reviewing the functioning of Prasar Bharati. As such there would be a comprehensive relook at the Prasar Bharati Act and that the government had no plans to fill the vacancies on the Prasar Bharati Board, including that of the Chief Executive, till the review was complete.

He said the re-examination must precede any meeting of the selection committee under the Prasar Bharati to fill vacant posts. He assured that any final decision would be taken after taking all political parties and Parliament into confidence.

The Minister said the primary need was to strengthen the public broadcaster as an institution and ensure its credibility, quality, autonomy and accountability. This would also mean a close look at malpractices which had led to large-scale corruption, he said, adding that this was a matter for decision-making by the Prasar Bharati Administration and the government could only give advice.

The Government would also not interfere on the matters related to film censorship as this would not be compatible with the concept of democratic functioning.

At the outset, the Minister said his government’s approach would be to ensure a vibrant, free and independent electronic and print media, which would also be transparent.

A review of the cable laws and other related acts was equally important, he said, adding the issue of a broadcasting law was also pending. The broadcasting industry should be able to function independently but with some regulatory mechanism.

He also announced the lifting of ban on the viewing of Pakistan television in India which was imposed in the wake of the Kargil intrusion.

The Minister said he had approved lifting of the ban yesterday and formal orders were expected to be issued today. It was time viewers got to see the developments taking place in the neighbouring country, he said.

At the same time, he said he would pursue the package announced by his predecessor for Jammu and Kashmir to ensure better transmission and ensure its reach across the border as well. He agreed that programmes need not involve propaganda to reach viewers across the border.

The Minister expressed concern that a pornographic Russian channel was being beamed into Indian households over the past few months. He said vulgarity and obscenity was banned under the Cable Networks Act. He asserted that vulgarity could not be permitted under the Cable Networks Regulations and added that cable operators showing the channel would be liable for prosecution.

It was also necessary to ensure that the public broadcaster was commercially viable and had a transparency which would help prevent corruption. At the same time, the BBC model might not be applicable here since the broadcaster could not be made accessible only to those who could afford a licence fee.

Referring to the remarks by his predecessor Mr Pramod Mahajan, that Prasar Bharati had lost all relevance today and should be wound up, Mr Jaitley said that Prasar Bharati had emerged because of a situation created during the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. But it had taken 13 years for the legislation to get government approval and another seven to get it notified. By this time, the situation had vastly changed and it was not possible to control what people should see in an era of multiplicity of channels.

But any decision could be taken after the comprehensive relook promised by him. He added that this would mean an examination of the existing Prasar Bharati and cable networks regulation acts as well as the proposed broadcasting Bill.

It was also necessary to find ways to strengthen the regional television channels as well as All India Radio, which still had a larger reach than the visual media. On a question about direct-to-home television, he said the matter was pending with the group of ministers.

Responding to a suggestion that the movie channels being run by cable operators in their respective localities should be banned as this would help check video piracy, Mr Jaitley said this would form part of the examination of the existing cable laws.

There was no specific provision at present to ban telecast of any channel on any grounds other than obscenity and vulgarity.

On a question about censorship of films shown on television, he said that such a move in addition to the existing censorship on films would not be compatible with the concept of democratic functioning.

He said he was also clear that he could not interfere in matter relating to censorship or the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) as these were quasi-judicial issues. He said the film "Elizabeth" had been cleared by the FCAT with some cuts.