Blueprint for content regulation may be ready soon

Government is at the final stage of wrapping up its deliberations with broadcasters over preparing a blueprint on content regulation for private TV channels.

"The task force under the chairmanship of Secretary I&B, Raghu Menon, is in the final stage of wrapping up its deliberations with broadcasters over content regulation. We want to come out with a blueprint on the issue and submit it to Parliament during the ongoing Budget session," a top ministry official said here today.

Official sources said Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ambika Soni, had assured Parliament last year that there would be some sort of a consensus on how to regulate content on private television channels.

The minister in the recent past had hinted at the requirement of a nodal authority for content regulation, but has also underlined the importance of seeking broadcasters' sanction for any such step. For evolving consensus on the issue, she had last year formed the task force under Menon.

Ministry sources said with several suggestions having been received by it from various stakeholders, it may soon come out with a blueprint over content regulation, which would be presented in Parliament.