Prime Minister puts on hold media gag bill

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday put the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act on hold.

Sources told CNN-IBN that the PM wanted to take into account the media's reservations on the matter. It is believed that the Government's proposed amendments to the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act were drawn against the backdrop of the 26/11 attacks.

While the media has put in place a method of self regulation after it came in for cristicism over the coverage of the 26/11 terror, the Government wants still more reining in especially while covering anti-terror operations.

The act now monitors stories on sex, crime, footage of narco-analysis admissions and others.

Political parties across the board also came together to support the electronic and print media against the proposed law to control content, saying the law will thwart freedom of speech and information.

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat have both said that they oppose the proposed law.

Amar Singh said that the SP will use its leverage as a supporting party of the UPA to stall the bill and the CPM has said that that there should be no movement on the proposed law for the time being.

Meanwhile, senior CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said his party has asked the Government to form an independent regulatory board for the media industry.

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“We have suggested to the Government that such a board be formed. How that will be constituted can be decided once the Government accepts this concept,” Yechury said.

According to the proposed act:

• District Magistrates and Sub-divisional Magistrates besides Commissioners of police will have the power to block live transmission by any channel and confiscate transmission equipment.
• Visuals and footage will be provided through a nodal agency in any such situation deemed "nationally important.”
• Television channels will therefore not be able to effectively cover communal riots and even agitations like the Gujjar Andolan.
• Officers will have the power to decide whether repeat telecast of a footage is necessary (and thereby in the national interest) or not.
• They will also decided if any information is unauthenticated and should therefore be blocked.
• Decisions regarding the nature of phone-in of reporters and victims or their interviews and if these disturb public order, will also rest with these officers.
• They will also decided if such phone-ins and interviews are against national interest.

Editors feel that the existing laws already arm the Government with substantial powers to legally act against channels violating the licensing agreements, but these amendments are almost a throwback to the Emergency era and the worst possible assault on the Fourth Estate.