'Report of Content Code panel to be implemented after consensus'

The government today said in the Lok Sabha that recommendations of the Committee on Content Code would be implemented after reaching a broad consensus after consultations with stakeholders.     

Replying to a question, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said she has held meetings with representatives of two self-regulatory bodies — National Broadcasters Association (NBA) and Indian Broadcasters Foundation (IBF) — and other stakeholders in this regard.     

"We will sit together and arrive at a solution in a way that it would not in any way clamp down on our constitutional right of speech and expression and would address the concerns of the end-users, the subscribers, the common man, civil society, parents, children and others," Soni said.     

She expressed concern over the fact that India is the only country which does not have regulatory body for content control. In 2005 a special committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Secretary (Information and Broadcasting) which submitted its report in 2008.     

While NBA and IBF protested against the recommendations, an NGO even took the matter to the Supreme Court, Soni shared adding that the government has also filed three affidavits in this regard.     

She said the government will have to find a coordinated solution which will take into account concerns of stakeholders and sensitivities of the civil society, but does not impinge on the rights of media houses.