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Foreign equity in print media still a distant dream

Forty-six years after a cabinet resolution barred foreign equity in print media, the hornet's nest has been stirred again kicking up a debate that is unlikely to end soon, as the government, political parties and media weigh the pros and cons of opening up the news and current affairs sector and related issues in 2002.

The media scenario may never again be peacefully oblivious of the threat of entry of foreign print media, an issue with which the government seems to have been playing hide and seek.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj, put the ball in the court of the Standing Committee on Information Technology headed by Somnath Chatterjee.

Though the Committee's Draft Report rejected the entry of foreign print media into the country, voices of dissent emerged in subsequent meetings failing to finalise the report.

It could not be tabled in the Winter Session of Parliament, cut short in the wake of the terrorist attack.

The year saw several related issues being raked up like FII, NRI investment in print media and green signal for technical and medical journals - all of which have been put on hold by the ministry which is awaiting the Committee's views.

As the new year begins, all eyes will focus on what the government does after the Standing Committee submits its report, keeping the issue on the ministry's priority list for some time to come.

In May this year, five leading editors wrote to Swaraj urging the government to review the policy to allow FII, NRI investment in print media and said this would not violate the 1955 Cabinet resolution and in no way permit publication of foreign newspapers in the country.

Later in the year, a proposal to allow entry of non-news journals (technical and medical) to make them available at cheaper rates in the country came up at a meeting of the Union Cabinet but the general view was to await the Standing Committee's report before taking further steps.

As entry of foreign equity in print media remains a sensitive issue baffling the government, the broadcasting sector has experienced an air of change with private FM radio opening up.

While a couple of private FM stations have been launched, around ten companies signed agreements with Prasar Bharati for tower and infrastructure facilities to meet their deadlines for launching around 16 channels in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Indore and Visakhapatnam.

More people in the country are likely to listen to the radio as these channels start airing programmes this year.

But another year went by without Direct-to-Home television becoming a reality in the country despite the government giving its nod to it in November 2000.

Broadcasters expressed their resentment about the DTH guidelines being "unrealistic and unviable" but the government is not in any mood to review them saying business proposals involving such huge investments take time to materialise.

2001: The Year That Was…
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