Centre should clarify stand on licensing of journalists

Public relations minister at 27th conference of information ministers

Madhya Pradesh Minister for Public Relations Shri Laxmikant Sharma raised the issue of Librahan Commission’s recommendation regarding licensing of journalists at the 27th conference of Information Ministers of States here today and desired the Central Government to clarify their stand about this.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Smt. Ambika Soni presided over the conference. Madhya Pradesh Secretary for Public Relations Shri Manoj Shrivastava also attended the conference.
While expressing his disagreement about Librahan Commission’s recommendation about licensing of journalists, Shri Laxmikant Sharma said that are we going to enter the era of licensing from accreditation of journalists?
In its recommendation the Librahan Commission has said that like other professions journalism should also be licensed and journalists should be made subject to disciplinary action. If a journalist is found guilty of misconduct in the profession his or her license should be suspended, the Commission has recommended.
74 percent FDI not in national interest
The Minister Shri Laxmikant Sharma questioned the permission of upto 74 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in the HITS policy introduced in November for cable operators saying that it is not in national interest.
America itself has restricted the FDI to 20 percent under their Telecommunications Act. The present Cable Act is not able to effectively regulate the SOS and cable operators. He called for strengthening the Cable Act in the interest of society and the consumers.
He said that the Central Government should come out with a policy with regard to cable operators. He suggested monitoring of political use and individual attacks through cable operators. Shri Sharma informed that Madhya Pradesh has set up a special cell to effectively enforce the Copyright Act.
He said that to check video piracy more effectively, the pirate gangs should be tracked and their assists should be frozen. He also stressed the need for more stringent measures to curb digital piracy.
He informed that Entertainment Tax has been rationalized in Madhya Pradesh and its rates are lower in comparison to other States. He invited special attention to the discretionary powers of States in matter relating to subsuming Entertainment Tax in the proposed GST. He favoured digitalization of cable sector.
Prasar Bharti should be public broadcaster
Shri Laxmikant Sharma opposed the demand made by Prasar Bharti for broadcasting the public and cultural and other programmes related to public interest. He pointed out that on the one hand Prasar Bharti calls itself to be public service broadcaster and when it comes to public interest broadcasting it becomes a commercial organization, which is objectionable.
In this context, he cited the examples of Khajuraho Samaroh, Tansen Samaroh and a programme that gives information about public grievances redressal by the Chief Minister for which the Door Darshan demanded charge. He also pointed out that the proposals sent by Madhya Pradesh Government for community radio have not yet been cleared by the Central Government.
Shri Sharma also demanded an independent T.R.P. regulations with regard to broadcasting service regulation. He said that by end of the 11th Plan the number of channels would cross 475 in the country. The T.R.P. does not represent the views of the people living in villages and in towns with less than one lakh population. T.R.P. is distorting the decision of target groups.
Need for clear-cut provision for books
The Minister Shri Sharma described the proposed amendments in the Press and Books Registration Act 1867 useful and stressed on a re-think on deleting books from it. He said that if books are removed from this Act, there should be some other clear-cut provision for registration of books.
Shri Sharma favored the Broadcasting Service Regulation Bill 2007. However, he expressed objection for not giving any powers to States to frame guidelines and rules in this regard. He made important suggestions regarding setting up of an Indian Public Relations Council, institution of national and state level public relations awards by Government of India and greater coordination between information departments of different States.