I&B Minister assures Media of stable policy regime, time-bound mechanism

Prakash Javadekar addresses CEOs Roundtable on Media & Entertainment at CII

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | June 20, 2014

Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, has said that the Government has always promoted the Media & Entertainment fraternity as partners in growth and would remain a facilitator to encourage the growth of the industry and provide a roadmap in the interests of the people. The minister said this while addressing the 'CEOs Roundtable on Media & Entertainment' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here yesterday.

Javadekar promised a stable policy regime with transparency and time-bound mechanism. He said that the efforts would be streamlined to make the process of clearances speedy and transparent. Reacting to suggestions from stakeholders, the minister said the policies of this Government would be people-centric and would aim at meeting the aspirations of the common citizens. He further added that providing information, entertainment and knowledge to citizens would be the priority of the I&B Ministry. Innovative approaches would be encouraged so as to ensure quality information.

The Minister also emphasised the need for expanding the reach of Community Radio and aimed at opening up 1,000 Community Radio stations in near future.

Javadekar praised the new-age technology and described how social media platforms had changed the dimensions of news reporting. While recognising the importance of the freedom of speech and expression, he emphasised the need for responsible journalism. He assured the stakeholders that their suggestions on various policy issues would be looked into in a time-bound manner.

I&B Secretary Bimal Julka assured the media that the ministry would work as a facilitator for the industry and would work towards single-window clearances for better transparency and accountability.

Vineet Singh Hukmani

Reacting to the minister's speech, Vineet Singh Hukmani , MD & CEO, Radio One, said, “We are very pleased with the Minister's encouraging comments to 'delete the word delay' and implement Phase 3 bidding before December 2014 and ensure a smooth transition for extension of licences of existing players before expiry. We look forward to a time-bound implementation road map for the same which begins with acceptance of the TRAI formula for extension and a GOPA signing date that is not pushed further and further.”

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