Sharma made a case for common regulator for telecom, media

Says media not to be treated as a holy cow

Asserting that the media need not be treated as a holy cow, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma today made a case for a common regulator for telecom and media sectors as in other countries like the United States and the UK.

"Convergence of technologies in telecom and the media have led to a common regulator and regulatory framework whether it is in America or the UK or elsewhere. Why not in India? This is where industry, CII should reflect and talk to," he said.

The media is the sacred cow and one is not supposed to talk about it, he said, adding, "I fail to understand why?"

Stressing that there was a need to protect the independence of media, he said, "the independence and that right does not come without duty and responsibility and the responsibility is of objective and balanced reporting because media is informing, sensitising and shaping public opinion.

"You are building institutions or you are ruining institutions, you are projecting personalities or ruining reputations. Therefore care and caution is required."

He said that in all democracies, regulatory frameworks have been evolved and converge with technologies.

"The moment we talk of a regulatory framework it is acceptable when it comes to electricity, when it comes to coal and when it comes to telecom", he said, adding it should also be there for those using the same national resource.