Telematics Forum Questions Need For Separate Broadcast Body
The National Telematics Forum (NTF) has questioned the need for creation of a separate `Broadcasting Authority of India (BAI), when the global trend is towards convergence of telecommunication technologies.
The need of the hour is a single regulatory authority to deal with the entire gamut of telecom infrastructure, including broadcasting, telephony and computers, NTF vice-president V M Trehan has said.
Calling for a comprehensive approach towards the telecommunication sector, he said that the multiplicity of authorities with overlapping functions would not be in the interests of the industry as well as the public.
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Citing the enormous costs associated with setting up of field networks for separate regulatory bodies, he recommended expansion of the functions of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to incorporate broadcast monitoring and regulation.
Several developed nations have adopted an `integrated approach in having combined ministries and regulatory authorities for information technology, broadcasting and telephony, he said. As per international definition of telecommunication broadcasting is one form of telecommunication, Trehan said.
The National Telematics Forum is a society constituted to promote the advancement of telecommunication, electronics and information technology in the country.
Stressing the need for bringing frequeny allocation and other facets of broadcasting under one authority, he said that while the frequency allocation was handled by the ministry of communications, broadcasting as such was under ministry of information and broadcasting.
The national infrastructure for broadcasting and telecommunication will have to be common for efficient and economic operation, Trehan said, adding that the regulatory authority must also be common to deal with telecommunication issues in a holistic manner.
NTF is organising a series of seminars in Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Madras, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad to generate debate on the issues realting to the proposed broadcast bill.
The first symposium to be held here on June 12,1997 will be inaugurated by information and broadcasting minister S Jaipal Reddy.
The other participants include former information and broadcasting secretary Bhaskar Ghose, former telecom secretary N Vittal and a host of media persons representing the leading private television channels.