House Panel On Broadcast Bill To Begin Hearing Today
The 30-member joint parliamentary committee set up to examine the proposed broadcasting bill will begin its meeting today.
The ministries of information and broadcasting (I&B), telecommunications and law and justice are scheduled to submit their views tomorrow.
Some other government agencies like the department of space will depose before the panel on June 18.
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The I&B ministry has taken the view that the proposed bill is a step forward and amendments can be made from time to time to keep pace with the changing scenario after it is made into law.
According to a ministry official, the hue and cry over the proposed 49 per cent foreign equity cap in the electronic medium ventures is unwarranted as it is in consonance with international regulations and gives enough room to international players to participate in the media activities in the country, without allowing anybody to monopolise it.
But, legal experts say that constitutionally, Section 22 of the bill may itself be challenged.
This section states that the broadcast authority may grant permission for reception of an unlicensed foreign satellite channel service in India if it is free-to-air, does not carry advertisements or if the service is devoted to news and current affairs and fulfils other broadcasting codes.
BBC, ABNI and CNN fall in this category.