3/31/2015

TimetofreetheradioTheHindu

OpinionReaders'Editor
Published:March30,201500:57IST|Updated:March30,201512:14IST
READERS'EDITOR

Timetofreetheradio
A.S.Paneerselvan

A.S.Panneerselvan.Photo:V.V.Krishnan

TheHindu

Theoverwhelmingresponsefromreaderstothereports,theeditorialandopinionarticlesfollowingtheSupremeCourt
ofIndiasdecisiontostrikedownSection66AoftheInformationTechnologyAct,asunconstitutionalinitsentirety,is
anaffirmationoftheideaofaninterlockingpublic.Theresponsesalsoprovedthatreaders,ascitizens,areconcerned
aboutthelarger,legalandregulatoryframeworkofourcommunicationarchitecture.Theconstitutionalguaranteeof
thefreedomofexpressionisnottheexclusivepreserveoflegalexpertsandprofessionaljournalistsbutacollectiveright
thatempowersandgivesvoicetoeverycitizenofthiscountry.
Inthiscontext,itisimperativetoremindourselvesofoneofthependingcasesbeforetheapexcourtthathasthe
potentialtoredefinetheentireinformationecology.InOctober2013,thefirstbenchoftheSupremeCourt,comprising
ChiefJusticeP.SathasivamandJusticeRanjanGogoi,issuednoticetotheUnionGovernmentonaPublicInterest
LitigationseekingpermissionforprivateFMandcommunityradiostationstoairnews.Inmycolumn,Liberatingthe
radio?(October21,2013),IrecollectedtheopencourtobservationbytheChiefJustice:Yourightlymentionedthat
radioisaccessibletoeverybody.ThereisnoproblemincaseofTVchannels.OnlyTVchannelsareallowedtobroadcast
news.Radiochannelshaveaccesstoeveryvillage,nookandcorner.Wewillexaminetheissue.Wewillimposesome
conditions.(beforegrantingpermission).
Nochange
Unfortunately,thereseemstobenochangeingovernmentpolicy.InJanuary2014,theMinistryofInformationand
Broadcasting(MIB)reiteratedthestatusquoinaninterviewtothisnewspaper.Theofficialspokespersonsresponse
wastrulyinstatespeak:Weareindiscussionwithallthestakeholders,butnodecisionhasbeentakenasyet.
Itisreliablylearntthatthegovernmenthasinformedthecourtthatonceitsetsupmonitoringmechanisms,itwould
havenoobjectiontothebroadcastofnews.Manyplayersworkingintheareaofcommunityradiofeelthatthisaployto
buytime.VinodPavarala,UNESCOChaironCommunityMedia,SarojiniNaiduSchoolofArts&Communication,
UniversityofHyderabad,questionstheviabilityofsuchamonitoringmechanism.Hesays:Thewholeideaof
capturinglivestreamsofsome170CRstationsand200pluscommercialstationsseemstobearidiculousexercise.The
governmentwillhavetoinvestonsettingupstreamingtechnologiesatthestationsandthenhavededicatedpersonnel
tolistenin,likeattheElectronicMediaMonitoringCentrenearDelhi,whichalreadymonitorstelevisioncontent.It
beatsmehowthegovernmentisgoingtobeabletoemploymonitorswhounderstandKutchi,Bundeli,andavarietyof
otherlanguagesinwhichCRstationscurrentlybroadcast.
Prof.PavaralaalsorecollectedtheMinistryspositionasarticulatedattherecentNationalSammelanofCommunity
Radio.Therewasnomentionmadeofthepossibilityofpermittingbroadcastofindependentlyproducednewson
communityandcommercialradio.Infact,MIBofficialsmerelyrepeatedtheirearliergenerousoffertoallow
retransmissionofAIR[AllIndiaRadio]news.IfCRstationshadtoonlyrebroadcastAIRnews,thenthewholeideaof
independent,thirdsectorradiohasnomeaning,heobserved.
Indiastandsalone
Thenongovernmentalorganisation,CommonCause,arguesinitspetition:Indiaisperhapstheonlydemocratic
countryintheworldwherethedisseminationofnewsandcurrentaffairsprogrammesontheradioremainsa
monopolyofthegovernmentownedbroadcaster.Nootherdemocraticcountryhassimilarcurbs.Noneofthe14,000
plusradiostationsintheUnitedStates,the2,000oddstationsinSpainorthe1,000plusstationseachinItaly,France,
GreeceandAustraliaarebarredfromairingnewsandcurrentaffairs.Infact,manystationsaresolelynewschannels,
includingspecialisedonesforcommunityradio.
Whyisitimportanttoliberatebroadcastnewsfromgovernmentmonopoly?Whatisthepurposeofkeepingbroadcast
aloneunderstatecontrolwhentherestofthemediaecology24X7newschannelsandrealtimedigitalplatformsare
growingatanexponentialspeed?Whyisthestatescaredofitsowncitizensarticulatingtheirviewsintheirownmedia?
Therearetheoreticalanswersthatlocatethisparanoiaofthestatetothecolonialimaginationandtheoriginsofa
centralisedradioduringWorldWarII.
Wheneveryoneswordsfly
Itlookslikethestateisyettounderstandthedynamicsofcommunityradioanditspowertodeepenourdemocratic
institutions.HowIwishthestatelistenedtotheLatinAmericanbroadcasterandauthor,JosIgnacioLopezVigil.He
expounded:Whenradiofosterstheparticipationofcitizensanddefendstheirinterestswhenitreflectsthetastesof
themajorityandmakesgoodhumourandhopeitsmainpurposewhenittrulyinformswhenithelpsresolvethe
thousandandoneproblemsofdailylifewhenallideasaredebatedinitsprogramsandallopinionsarerespected
whenculturaldiversityisstimulatedovercommercialhomogeneitywhenwomenaremainplayersincommunication
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3/31/2015

TimetofreetheradioTheHindu

andnotsimplyaprettyvoiceorapublicitygimmickwhennotypeofdictatorshipistolerated,noteventhemusical
dictatorshipofthebigrecordingstudioswheneveryone'swordsflywithoutdiscriminationorcensorship,thatis
communityradio.Ihopetheapexcourtwouldcomeupwithaverdict,asinvigoratingasitsjudgmentonSection66A,
beforethenextphaseofrolloutofFMstationsandcommunityradios.
readerseditor@thehindu.co.in
Keywords:Section66A,66A,ITAct,radiochannels,radionews
Printableversion|Mar31,20153:58:25PM|http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/Readers
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