ELECTRONIC MEDIA NEEDS SELF-REGULATORY SYSTEM: I & B MINISTER

Hemanta Kumar Pradhan

We have a press council of India to keep eye on the press, similarly we need a self regulatory system for electronic media to evaluate and regulate as the number of satellite channel is rising day by day, said minister of the state for information and broad casting, government of India Mr. Chaudhary Mohan Jatwa while interacting with the student of the Post Graduate Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Berhampur University.

On 24th February 2011, 4th semester students of the respective department met the Minister in his Kolkata office while they were in study tour. The Minister discussed with the student about the challenges and opportunities in media and different ethical issues regarding television channels.

On the rise of satellite channels he said, “Now we have 635 television channels along with 35 government channels. Around 250 are waiting for the recommendation. Obviously they need trained men power in news, advertising and entertainment which will create more job opportunities for the student of mass communication.” Minister supplemented the answers with Professor Sunilkant Behera, Head, Department Journalism and Mass Communication, Berhampur University.

Advertising sector is growing now. It has good prospect. The web journalism and online advertising has given a new dimension of job opportunity, minister answered a question asked by 4th semester student Priya Priyadarshini. Answering a question asked by Hemanta Kumar (4th sem) on paid news syndrome, minister said, it is a headache for all of us. Our hand is tied because of constitutional guarantee of article 19. But our ministry is not sitting idle; we are looking into the matter.

According to the article 19(1A) of the Indian constitution, every person has freedom of speech and expression as it is the fundamental right of a citizen, Government can’t impose restriction on electronic media, but we can evaluate and regulate the sensational, unethical as well as lower grade programmes which is used to attract the audience now days, he said. At the fag end of the meeting, Prof. Pradeep Chandra Mahapatra, PG Department of Journalism and Mass Communication expressed vote of thanks to the minister.