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Time to Free the Radio
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3/31/2015 TimetofreetheradioTheHindu
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/ReadersEditor/timetofreetheradio/article7045757.ece?css=print 1/2
TheHindu
OpinionReaders'Editor
Published:March30,201500:57IST|Updated:March30,201512:14ISTREADERS'EDITOR
Timetofreetheradio
A.S.Paneerselvan
A.S.Panneerselvan.Photo:V.V.Krishnan
Theoverwhelmingresponsefromreaderstothereports,theeditorialandopinionarticlesfollowingtheSupremeCourtofIndiasdecisiontostrikedownSection66AoftheInformationTechnologyAct,asunconstitutionalinitsentirety,isanaffirmationoftheideaofaninterlockingpublic.Theresponsesalsoprovedthatreaders,ascitizens,areconcernedaboutthelarger,legalandregulatoryframeworkofourcommunicationarchitecture.Theconstitutionalguaranteeofthefreedomofexpressionisnottheexclusivepreserveoflegalexpertsandprofessionaljournalistsbutacollectiverightthatempowersandgivesvoicetoeverycitizenofthiscountry.
Inthiscontext,itisimperativetoremindourselvesofoneofthependingcasesbeforetheapexcourtthathasthepotentialtoredefinetheentireinformationecology.InOctober2013,thefirstbenchoftheSupremeCourt,comprisingChiefJusticeP.SathasivamandJusticeRanjanGogoi,issuednoticetotheUnionGovernmentonaPublicInterestLitigationseekingpermissionforprivateFMandcommunityradiostationstoairnews.Inmycolumn,Liberatingtheradio?(October21,2013),IrecollectedtheopencourtobservationbytheChiefJustice:Yourightlymentionedthatradioisaccessibletoeverybody.ThereisnoproblemincaseofTVchannels.OnlyTVchannelsareallowedtobroadcastnews.Radiochannelshaveaccesstoeveryvillage,nookandcorner.Wewillexaminetheissue.Wewillimposesomeconditions.(beforegrantingpermission).
Nochange
Unfortunately,thereseemstobenochangeingovernmentpolicy.InJanuary2014,theMinistryofInformationandBroadcasting(MIB)reiteratedthestatusquoinaninterviewtothisnewspaper.Theofficialspokespersonsresponsewastrulyinstatespeak:Weareindiscussionwithallthestakeholders,butnodecisionhasbeentakenasyet.
Itisreliablylearntthatthegovernmenthasinformedthecourtthatonceitsetsupmonitoringmechanisms,itwouldhavenoobjectiontothebroadcastofnews.Manyplayersworkingintheareaofcommunityradiofeelthatthisaploytobuytime.VinodPavarala,UNESCOChaironCommunityMedia,SarojiniNaiduSchoolofArts&Communication,UniversityofHyderabad,questionstheviabilityofsuchamonitoringmechanism.Hesays:Thewholeideaofcapturinglivestreamsofsome170CRstationsand200pluscommercialstationsseemstobearidiculousexercise.Thegovernmentwillhavetoinvestonsettingupstreamingtechnologiesatthestationsandthenhavededicatedpersonneltolistenin,likeattheElectronicMediaMonitoringCentrenearDelhi,whichalreadymonitorstelevisioncontent.ItbeatsmehowthegovernmentisgoingtobeabletoemploymonitorswhounderstandKutchi,Bundeli,andavarietyofotherlanguagesinwhichCRstationscurrentlybroadcast.
Prof.PavaralaalsorecollectedtheMinistryspositionasarticulatedattherecentNationalSammelanofCommunityRadio.Therewasnomentionmadeofthepossibilityofpermittingbroadcastofindependentlyproducednewsoncommunityandcommercialradio.Infact,MIBofficialsmerelyrepeatedtheirearliergenerousoffertoallowretransmissionofAIR[AllIndiaRadio]news.IfCRstationshadtoonlyrebroadcastAIRnews,thenthewholeideaofindependent,thirdsectorradiohasnomeaning,heobserved.
Indiastandsalone
Thenongovernmentalorganisation,CommonCause,arguesinitspetition:Indiaisperhapstheonlydemocraticcountryintheworldwherethedisseminationofnewsandcurrentaffairsprogrammesontheradioremainsamonopolyofthegovernmentownedbroadcaster.Nootherdemocraticcountryhassimilarcurbs.Noneofthe14,000plusradiostationsintheUnitedStates,the2,000oddstationsinSpainorthe1,000plusstationseachinItaly,France,GreeceandAustraliaarebarredfromairingnewsandcurrentaffairs.Infact,manystationsaresolelynewschannels,includingspecialisedonesforcommunityradio.
Whyisitimportanttoliberatebroadcastnewsfromgovernmentmonopoly?Whatisthepurposeofkeepingbroadcastaloneunderstatecontrolwhentherestofthemediaecology24X7newschannelsandrealtimedigitalplatformsaregrowingatanexponentialspeed?Whyisthestatescaredofitsowncitizensarticulatingtheirviewsintheirownmedia?TherearetheoreticalanswersthatlocatethisparanoiaofthestatetothecolonialimaginationandtheoriginsofacentralisedradioduringWorldWarII.
Wheneveryoneswordsfly
Itlookslikethestateisyettounderstandthedynamicsofcommunityradioanditspowertodeepenourdemocraticinstitutions.HowIwishthestatelistenedtotheLatinAmericanbroadcasterandauthor,JosIgnacioLopezVigil.Heexpounded:Whenradiofosterstheparticipationofcitizensanddefendstheirinterestswhenitreflectsthetastesofthemajorityandmakesgoodhumourandhopeitsmainpurposewhenittrulyinformswhenithelpsresolvethethousandandoneproblemsofdailylifewhenallideasaredebatedinitsprogramsandallopinionsarerespectedwhenculturaldiversityisstimulatedovercommercialhomogeneitywhenwomenaremainplayersincommunication
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/liberating-the-radio/article5254560.ecehttp://www.thehindu.com/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers-Editor/
3/31/2015 TimetofreetheradioTheHindu
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/ReadersEditor/timetofreetheradio/article7045757.ece?css=print 2/2
Viewcomments(5)
andnotsimplyaprettyvoiceorapublicitygimmickwhennotypeofdictatorshipistolerated,noteventhemusicaldictatorshipofthebigrecordingstudioswheneveryone'swordsflywithoutdiscriminationorcensorship,thatiscommunityradio.Ihopetheapexcourtwouldcomeupwithaverdict,asinvigoratingasitsjudgmentonSection66A,beforethenextphaseofrolloutofFMstationsandcommunityradios.
Keywords:Section66A,66A,ITAct,radiochannels,radionews
Printableversion|Mar31,20153:58:25PM|http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/ReadersEditor/timetofreetheradio/article7045757.ece
TheHindu