Broadcast law to tackle monopoly issue: Minister

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, APRIL 10. The proposed broadcasting law was expected to take care of the issue of monopoly in terms of signal distribution and obscenity, the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Arun Jaitley, said here today.

The Minister who was here to attend a function organised by the South India Film Chamber of Commerce, told reporters that the new law was now with the Law Ministry and was expected to be finalised soon.Asked whether the Centre was planning to oversee the activities of private TV channels because of a boom, Mr. Jaitley, said there was no question of imposing restrictions on any channel, provided they complied with cable regulations.

To a question on whether the Ministry was concerned about monopoly in distribution of signals to subscribers, he said the issue would be dealt with once the broadcasting law was finalised. The Government was not in favour of any form of control. However, if the channels failed to respect the code as laid down by the law, it would be treated as a violation. ``The same thing applied to obscenity. While we are liberal and not for regulations, a strict view will be taken of any obscenity'', he added.

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Section  : National
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