Trai to float consultation paper on media ownership

Jul 27, 2012 |

New Delhi

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Broadcast regulator Trai on Friday said it will soon float a consultation paper on the ownership of media to ensure plurality and diversity of views in the country.

People need to think whether newspaper, television, radio, IPTV, satellite channels should be owned by one person, Trai Chairman Rahul Khullar said at industry body Assocham's conference on 'Cross Media Ownership'.

"Most of the international experience is 'No'. You are giving a single owner pre-dominant influence and that influence is not on a market for shoe or ice-cream but for idea. He or she can swing opinions and that is why we don't want it," he said.

No democracy can survive if a country doesn't have plurality and diversity of opinion, Khullar said, adding that the move was not related to content of the media.

"I will put together consultation paper. I will take your opinion and at the end of it as a regulator, I will do my job by making recommendations," Khullar added.

He said concerns are being raised on media ownership related issues even by Members of Parliament.

"I have deposed before two Parliamentary Committees. Even Members of Parliament are extremely concerned about issues concerning vertical ownership and horizontal ownership (of media)," Khullar said.

Trai chairman added that the time has come to regulate ownership in media.

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