The ministry of information and broadcasting does not intend to become a regulator of content on the Internet, union minister Ambika Soni said this morning. “Broadcasting is enough (trouble),” Soni said, tongue in cheek. She was speaking at Exchange4media’s News Next conference.
There have been media reports earlier that the ministry, which regulates broadcasting, publishing, radio and films, was also preparing a blue print to regulate the Internet and might especially regulate news websites.
Soni also reiterated that the government does not wish to regulate content in any media. “I want to categorically reassert thaat we have no intention of putting in place any draconian mechanism…,” she said, adding, “…but there has to be some ground rules.”
She said the HITS (headend in the sky) policy will likely be ready by the end of the year. The government is also ready to launch the FM Phase 3 policy, but it is first trying to sort out some issues related to music royalty. “Those who bid and won in Phase 2 have come back to us and said they are having teething troubles because of music royalty. we are trying to put in place a mechanism for that before going ahead with Phase 3,” she said.
The minister, who has won the industry’s regards for being open minded and progressive (“she has soothed the industry’s nerves”, said India Today chairman Arun Poorie), said the ministry agrees with many of the demands of the industry and was working on implementing them. Changes may take some time, especially on those where other ministries are involved. These include removal of the cap on channel pricing, reducing the license fee on DTH to 6% of gross revenues, etc.

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