MUMBAI: In a rebuke, the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has demanded that the ministry of information and broadcasting stop dithering and set a firm deadline for the long-delayed Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill, The Economic Times has reported.
The parliamentary panel, clearly miffed at the glacial pace of progress, wants the controversial legislation tabled in Parliament "at the earliest" – governmental code for "you've been dragging your feet for too long."
The ministry's second draft of the broadcast bill had a spectacularly brief public life last year – introduced with fanfare in July only to be hastily withdrawn in August after media stakeholders threw a collective wobbly over the secretive consultation process.
Industry insiders were particularly hot under the collar about vague terminology that could potentially hand sweeping powers to bureaucrats – a prospect about as popular in newsrooms as a pay cut.
In its response to the parliamentary committee's prodding, the ministry promised a fresh draft would emerge after "detailed consultations." It outlined a tortuous path ahead: consultations will be followed by a draft cabinet note, inter-ministerial ruminations, and eventual submission for the cabinet's consideration.
The committee's action taken report makes it crystal clear that lawmakers' patience is wearing thinner than a politician's promises during election season.
Having previously recommended that the government "expedite" formulation of the law while ensuring adequate consultations, the committee has now upped the ante by demanding a concrete timeline.
The original draft bill had been available for public commentary from 10 November to 9 December 2023, with the deadline later extended to 15 January 2024 – but more than a year later, a revised version remains elusive .
Industry observers note that the regulatory vacuum continues to leave India's vibrant broadcasting sector in limbo, with outdated rules struggling to address the challenges posed by streaming platforms and social media content.
"At this rate, we'll have holographic television before we get a broadcasting law," remarked one cynical media veteran.
