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CNA flays Govt for not enacting Broadcasting Bill

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, Aug. 13

THE Cable Networks Association (CNA) has alleged that the Government had ``gone out of its way to favour the foreign satellite broadcasters'' by not enacting the comprehensive Broadcasting Bill.

In the process, it has also ignored the Supreme Court (SC) directive as the Bill was prepared after the SC directed the Government in 1995 to constitute a Broadcasting Authority to regulate the use of airwaves, CNA said in a statement here.

The SC judgment (delivered in the case of `Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, UOI and others Vs Cricket Association of Bengal) had made it clear that private television broadcasting cannot be allowed unless a specific law is enacted for the purpose, CNA said.

The Broadcast Bill is being opposed by the broadcasters because of two clauses on cross-service restrictions and on foreign equity restrictions, the association alleged.

Under the first clause, the broadcaster would not be able to become a cable operator or a DTH operator and vice versa. It is the absence of this restriction that has allowed broadcasters to have their own cable network, leading to a formation of vertical ly integrated monopoly.

The clause of foreign equity stipulates that a corporate body cannot obtain a license if it had more than 20 per cent foreign equity, it added.