Plan Panel group suggests council to regulate media education

Updated on: Monday, January 09, 2012

A Planning Commission-appointed group has pitched for a Media Council, along the lines of the AICTE, for regulating electronic media education.

"The government should set up a Media Council of India on the lines of the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) for electronic media to govern media education and research in the country," said the Working Group on Broadcasting in its recommendations to the Planning Commission for the Twelfth Five-Year Plan.

AICTE is a statutory body established to plan, coordinate and regulate technical education in the country.

Furthermore, it suggested that all the benefits and incentives that are available to the infrastructure industry should be extended to the broadcasting, cable and DTH sectors, "including availability of finance at concessional rate of interest to give a boost to the digitisation process in the country".

The group also said the government should address various regulatory issues for ensuring growth and development of the broadcasting and content distribution sector.

The report further called for timely completion of the digitisation of AIR, Doordarshan and the cable sector.

"To ensure that digitisation with addressability is implemented in the broadcasting sector as per the timetable defined by the ministry, the fiscal incentives such as income tax holiday, zero custom duty on all digital head-end and networking equipments should be implemented on priority," it said.

All service providers who set up a digital addressable distribution network before the sunset date(s) are to be treated as infrastructure service providers similar to telecom services and should be eligible for benefits under section 80-IA and Section 72A of the Income Tax Act, it said.

It further suggested that Prasar Bharati should undertake a comprehensive programme audit of Doordarshan and AIR and devise new programme manuals for DD and AIR.

"Prasar Bharati should take urgent steps to improve the content being telecast by DD/AIR. A public-private-partnership model should be explored for improving programming and services," it said.

The group also suggested that Prasar Bharati should utilise new media technologies for delivering its programmes and channels.

In it recommendations, the working group said that AIR and Doordarshan should identify areas for maximisation of revenue and upgradation of network and services and set up a corpus for promoting a community radio movement in the country.

It also suggested that broadcast coverage should be enhanced in border areas and the northeastern part of the country.

"A permanent strategy for planning, development and management of broadcasting infrastructure and services in the border areas of the country is required to be devised. A separate strategic broadcasting services pision should be established for planning, development and management of broadcasting infrastructure and services in the border and insurgency-infested areas," it said.

It also said the government should pay special attention to improve FM coverage in the 12th Plan, with at least one dedicated nationwide news and current affairs FM channel set up during the period.

The feasibility of having dedicated FM channels for classical music and other cultural programmes needs to be explored as well, it said.

Plan Panel group suggests council to regulate media education

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