New Delhi: Maintaining that media should be
accountable, government on Wednesday said self-regulation was the
"best way forward" until the issue of regulating it is debated
by the people and the opinion of the majority is heard.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said
everyone understands that any kind of control on media, be it
electronic or print, is going to be resisted not only by media
but by all free-thinkers of the country.
"We have learnt from past mistakes. We would not take any
decision that would harm, hurt or (that would be) dangerous to
our country," she said addressing a seminar on the National
Press Day here.
"We all know that if government is accountable, there is
no section or entity or institution that will not be held
accountable by the educated, literate and young citizens of
the country," she said.
Noting that people expect media, which is an important
institution, should be held responsible when it makes a pivot
around which everyone interacts, Soni said media cannot
runaway from that accountability.
"We can put in various mechanisms, regulatory body or
self-regulation or whatever other forms. But basically it
depends upon the credibility of the media itself.
The Minister said media in future may not like the
self-regulatory mechanism because they are aware of the
agitation for a "hard Lokpal" in the country which was
appreciated by the leadership of the country.
"The News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) and
Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) have come into
existence and they have eminent judges and other people on
their panel," she said, adding that there has be "no
consensus" on the issue of regulatory mechanism for the media.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 21:00