Govt open to holding all-party meet on cable TV content: Soni

The government on Tuesday said it was open to the idea of holding an all-party meeting on the issue of regulating contents on cable television but maintained that a 'fatwa' or a direction will not help serve the purpose.

A draft Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill has been put on the website and a final bill could be brought for consideration of Parliament after the stipulated time provided to get feedback from various stakeholders is over, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha. She said an ordinance can be promulgated if the House does not want to evolve a consensus or take into consideration the views of those who would be affected.

Soni said it was important to get the views of those who would be affected by the bill as "media is a sensitive matter, no matter what we say." She said without discussion, any "fatwa based on law" or direction on the subject will not help.

The minister said a Group of Ministers on media has been set up and some of her cabinet colleagues have started an open debate on the issue.

"We are getting views. After collating the views, we want to bring a law which is beyond the self-regulatory body that has been set up...I have no objections if a law is made after an all-party meeting is convened by the prime minister in which views of everyone are taken in writing," she said.