Self-regulation for media :Ambika Soni

Maintaining that media should be accountable, Government has 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 in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"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 been no consensus on the issue of regulatory mechanism for the media.

"There has been no consensus. Various attempts have been made by the I&B Ministry but they have not found any resolution. After a debate, the majority point of view should take a formal shape," Soni said.

"I know it (self-regulatory) is an utopian system. But that is the best way forward until a comprehensive prune-up is done by the people of the country and the issue is debated across the length and breadth of the country," she said.

Congratulating Press Council Chairman Markandey Katju for reopening the debate on the need for a regulatory mechanism for media, she said in a democracy nothing is healthier than having a public debate and let the majority point of view take a formal shape.

Noting that the "paid news syndrome" is being recognised by the people of the country now, Soni said the government has constituted a Group of Ministers to look into the recommendations made by the PCI on the issue.

"The GoM is looking into the reports submitted by the PCI with all seriousness that has to be," she said.

Referring to a suggestion made by her ministerial colleague Rajeev Shukla that contents on websites should also be regulated and controlled, Soni said: "I don't know when that is possible but self-regulation was the best way until then."

Shukla also advocated the need for regulating content on websites and television channels.Council member and BJP MP Prakash Javadekar said the Press Council of India (PCI) has suggested in its reports that the electronic media should also be brought under the purview of the council and that it was best instrumentality.Media agencies