Self-regulation is the best: Sumitra Mahajan on media freedom

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan today said self-regulation was the best policy for media as any form of regulation on it whether by an imposed law or by guidelines is looked upon with apprehensive fear of censorship and state suppression.
Inaugurating the three-day Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference on Parliament, Media and Law here she said media was a bridge between public and parliamentary institutions and helps decision makers to understand the mood of public and hence plays a crucial role in democracy.e
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"Self-regulation is the best for media and it should be understood that with rights come responsibility and hence this freedom should exercised wisely and responsibly," she said, adding when we talk about media freedom, we not only think in terms of strengthening media freedom but also to regulate so that freedom is used in a constructive manner.

She said as the medium through which public is informed of public issues, government policies and programmes, freedom of media was essential.
"Freedom makes it possible for media to exercise huge influence on society by shaping public opinion. The power that media has in a free democratic society is apparent from the status it has earned as the Fourth Estate of society. However, it was also to be understood that with powerful right to freedom, comes great responsibility," Mahajan said.
The Speaker said there was need a for media to ensure that freedom was used wisely and responsibly, and corresponding responsibilities were consciously fulfilled.

"How to achieve this -- whether by an imposed law or by guidelines voluntarily adopted by media -- is a question. We have distinct systems of regulation for broadcast media, print media and social media.

She said there were different views on media regulation.
"There is a strong argument, mostly held by media industry, that media accountability is better served by self-regulatory institutions.
"Any form of statutory regulation is looked upon with apprehensive fear of censorship and state suppression of media freedom. However, media insiders and people who have been associated with regulatory authorities will agree that even the agencies who are regulating the media at present are very weak in their enforcement," the Speaker said.