Media cos want Javadekar to address FDI, cross holding issues

I&B minister to meet all stakeholders soon

I&B minister Prakash Javadekar has said that all stakeholders will be included in the decision making process.

A meeting between different industry members and the minister is on the cards, it has been revealed.

Speaking to Business Standard, he said, "I am taking stock of all issues and I have done one briefing out of three - with the information sector. Today, I will review Prasar Bharti. After that, in a couple of days I will take up all the issues one by one. On every issue - from FDI to cross media ownership, I will interact with all the stakeholders. We won't go ahead without taking everybody on board."

Sources in the know also revealed that his office has been asked to reach out to stakeholders of the industry across sectors like films, television, print and radio etc.and get an idea of their expectations from the ministry. Some of the officers under Javadekar have already met certain stakeholders and conveyed the Minister's intentions.

Javadekar also assured that the progress that was made under the previous government's regime will not be reversed.

"We won't act on vindictiveness. Efficiency will be rewarded and laziness will not be tolerated. There has to be a creative (bent of) mind and I have asked the officers to find out solutions with innovations," said Javadekar.

Apart from being inclusive in his operations, Javadekar also wants to expedite the process of decision making.

Many issues like foreign direct investment in media companies and cross holding in media companies need immediate attention from the ministry, feel industry members.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had a hectic year in 2013 passing recommendations and regulations on various issues in the broadcast (television and radio) space. However, the industry is of the opinion that it is now time to focus equally on all issues and bring about a resolution, especially in cross media ownership and foreign direct investment related issues.

In the backdrop of the changes at the I&B Ministry, the broadcast industry has braced itself for a delay in the roll-out of phase three and four of digitisation. Sources reveal that while September is just around the corner, companies have not even placed orders for new set-top-boxes which were to be deployed in the forthcoming phases. However, the consensus is that the delay will be a matter of months and not years and once the stakeholders have a meeting with the minister, things will be more clear.