The information and broadcasting ministry has set up a nine-member task force which includes representatives from the government as well as those from television industry

New Delhi: Speeding up its effort to create a Broadcast Regulatory Authority and to develop a content code for the television sector, the information and broadcasting ministry has set up a task force. The nine-member task force includes representatives from the government as well as those from television industry bodies such as the Indian Broadcasting Foundation, Broadcast Editors Association and the News Broadcasters Association.

While the secretary Information and Broadcasting has been appointed the chairperson of the task force, two other senior ministry officials are also on board. News Broadcasters Association president Sameer Manchanda (joint MD IBN 18 Broadcast Ltd) and NBA vice president K V L Narayan Rao (Group CEO NDTV) are also part of the task force including two members each from the IBF and Broadcast Editors Association.

According to the CEO of a Hindi news channel which is an NBA member, the task force will interact with different stakeholders including academicians, media experts, consumer organizations, state government representatives as well as other broadcasting industry associations for cable, DTH, radio and IPTV, among others.

The ministry mandates that the task force has to discuss the need, scope, jurisdiction, organizational structure and powers and functions of an independent Broadcast Regulator. Although the government has not set a deadline for the task force, the body is expected to submit its recommendations at the earliest.

In 2007, the ministry put up a proposal to set up a Broadcasting Regulatory Authority of India through legislation to ensure orderly growth of the broadcast media in India. In 2008, a government committee submitted its draft on Self Regulation Guidelines for the Broadcasting Sector to replace the existing Programme and Advertising Codes.