The Hindu : National : ‘FDI hike in media being discussed’

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Thursday, Jan 03, 2008
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‘FDI hike in media being discussed’

Staff Reporter

“Editors should have a self-regulatory mechanism on content”
TRP ratings faulty and misused by the media, he says

Kolkata: Discussions are on about a further increase in foreign direct investment in the media, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said here on Wednesday.

The issue would be discussed with the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister before the budget, he said. While there was pressure from big media houses to relax the present 26 per cent cap on foreign equity, a sudden jump could not be made without due caution or without ensuring a level-playing field for smaller players, he said.

Mr. Dasmunsi was participating in an interactive session organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce on the challenges and prospects of liberalisation in the media.

The Minister said determining content was not the duty of the government but of the editors, who should have a self-regulatory mechanism for this. “The draft of the Content Regulation Bill is already on our website and consumers’ representatives are also demanding it, but certain big channels are opposed to it,” he said.

He said channels should strictly observe the uplinking and downlinking guidelines as its violations were leading to tax defaults worth a few thousand crore.

Commenting on the Television Rating Points (TRP) mechanism of the electronic media, Mr. Dasmunsi said that it was faulty.

“The mechanism has to be made more transparent, more accessible and more adaptable. The average cannot be counted without taking bulk of rural India into account,” he said.

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