The Hindu : National : Jaipal Reddy for enhancing Prasar Bharati's functional autonomy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 25, 2004

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National

Jaipal Reddy for enhancing Prasar Bharati's functional autonomy

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MAY 24. On his return to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry after six years — this time as a Congressman — S. Jaipal Reddy has set his eyes on finishing the tasks he had initiated in his first stint as the I&B Minister in the United Front Government.

Speaking to presspersons after taking charge, he said that efforts would be made to augment the functional autonomy of Prasar Bharati and set up a full-time independent regulator. It would be ideal if Prasar Bharati could be fashioned along the lines of the British Broadcasting Corporation, he added. As for the regulator, his effort would be to have in place a set-up akin to the Federal Communications Commission in the United States.

About the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India doubling up as a broadcasting regulator, Mr. Reddy said such an ad hoc arrangement could not go on indefinitely. "There is a case for having a full-time independent regulator for the broadcasting sector to deal with issues like Direct-to-Home television."

Asked whether he would do away with the Conditional Access System, the Minister said: "No hasty implementation is warranted, but we do have a law in the statute book." However, he indicated that CAS would be reviewed in consultation with the Congress, its allies in the United Progressive Alliance and the previous Government. Similarly, he was non-committal on whether there would be drastic changes in Prasar Bharati, which had several persons with "RSS leanings" on its Board.

On the issue of "moral policing," Mr. Reddy said that it was the job of society and not the Government. However, he was quick to add that this did not mean that the Government would encourage obscenity. Conceding that it was difficult to draw a line between liberty and obscenity, he said this was an area he was not keen on stepping in too much.

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