Effectiveness of Self Regulation in Broadcast News in India Case study of News Broadcasters Association and Broadcast Editors Association 2008 to 2016

Abstract

Freedom of Speech and Expression is the absolute right granted by the Indian Constitution to the citizens. To what extent this freedom should be exercised by media has always been debatable. Regulation of news media has been a burning topic since media has immense potential to affect the socio-political environment of the country. Print media is partially regulated by the Press and Registration of Books Act and the Press Council of India Act. Broadcast media is also partially regulated by Television Network Regulation Act and through licensing policy and government orders. However, there is no law prescribing for content regulation neither in print not broadcast media. The government has always been interested in making a law to control the broadcast media but due to lack of political will and due to strict opposition by broadcast industry it has not happened yet. The broadcast news media industry insists that it does not need any regulation by the government since it would restrict them from performing their duty of presenting free and fair news. But under pressure of Information and Broadcast Ministry, the industry decided in 2008 to form the News Broadcasters Association (NBA). Thus, news channels agreed to self-regulate themselves. The NBA apart from issuing guidelines also adjudicates upon the cases of content violation by its member channels. Another self-regulatory body, the Broadcast Editors Association (BEA) was formed in 2009 by the eminent editors of TV news industry to issue guidelines on the coverage of important and sensitive issues. Both NBA and BEA, also presents a credible voice of the industry in front of government on controversial issues, but the question remains, whether they are really taking the task of self-regulation seriously? Or is industry convinced with the idea of self-regulation? The broad area of research in this study is the effectiveness of self-regulation in broadcast news in India with special emphasis on the role of NBA and BEA, the agencies responsible for enforcing self-regu