Bill to control media sting operations to be tabled in Parliament next year

SRINAGAR: The government is likely to place the controversial Broadcast Bill, aimed at controlling sting operations by news channels, during the budget session of Parliament next year.

"The entire spectrum of sting operations, operation of cable networks, mushrooming of cable networks...all these are pending in the Bill, which is still in the negotiating stage with the stakeholders," Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi said.

He was responding to a question on what the government intended to do to control the mushrooming cable television networks and lack of control over sting operations done by them.

"...after the final round of talks with stakeholders, we shall circulate the Bill to cabinet colleagues. Then hopefully during the budget session, it will come to Parliament. That will take care of all the matters," Dasmunsi said.

The Bill has been criticised by various media houses, especially the television channels which termed it as an attempt to gag the media, a charge denied by the government.

The ministry is currently meeting representatives from the media and entertainment industry to take stock of their views on the bill.

The draft bill includes 16 dos and don'ts for TV news channels, including a provision that any media group which carries out a sting operation should be able to justify its undercover operation as being "warranted" by public interest.