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NEW DELHI, Nov. 28

THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has said that the Government has been in an "unseemly and unnecessary hurry'' in allowing Direct-to-Home (DTH) TV services.

"The committee is deeply concerned to note that the Government allowed DTH all of a sudden without any in-depth study. It was allowed for private telecasters much before formulating a regulatory framework," the Standing Committee on Information Technology headed by the CPI (M) leader, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, said.

It also said that the Government should consider bringing in a comprehensive legislation covering all aspects of DTH. It felt that the validity of 10 years for licence of DTH was an "unusually long period." It also expressed concern on the security aspect of the medium as the country is constantly under threat from cross-border terrorism.

"The areas of monitoring needed to be increased and they should not be restricted only to the issue of security, morality and vertical monopoly given the fact that DTH would be more powerful and sensitive compared to the cable TV. The Government owes an explanation in this regard," it said.

Criticising the Government for leaving the service completely to the discretion of a service provider and market forces, it said this would result in the DTH being available only to a niche segment of viewers having higher disposable income.

Since DTH would remain beyond the reach of the common people on account of expensive subscription rates, the committee has asked the Government to ensure that benefits of DTH are available all over the country, especially in rural and hilly areas, and that the service remained within the reach of the common man. This was because the aim of any new media technology should be an egalitarian diffusion of information and entertainment, it said.

The committee also felt that before allowing DTH, the Government should have framed the requisite law and should have also waited till the enactment of the Communications Convergence Bill.

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