Editors Guild asks Centre to put Broadcast bill in public domain

Opposing the proposed amendments to the Press Council Act, the Editors Guild of India has demanded that the Broadcast Service Regulatory Bill must be put in the public domain.

New Delhi, Feb 7 : Opposing the proposed amendments to the Press Council Act, the Editors Guild of India has demanded that the Broadcast Service Regulatory Bill must be put in the public domain.

"The Guild is totally opposed to any moves to put new curbs on the print and electronic media. The present laws of the country are sufficient to deal with any complaints against the press. Introduction of any new curbs in the form of amendment to the Press Council Act or the passage of the Broadcast Services Regulatory Bill in its present form would seriously damage the freedom of the press, enshrined in the Constitution through the Fundamental Rights," Editors Guild Secretary General K S Sachidananda Murthy said in a statement.

Murthy also told Information and Broadcasting Additional Secretary Uday Verma that the Guild is totally opposed to any moves to put new curbs on the print and electronic media saying that the present laws of the country are sufficient to deal with any complaints against the press.

The Guild strongly opposes the Information and Broadcasting Ministry consideration to amend the Press Council Act to invoke cancellation of accreditation to journalists and newspapers, as well as stoppage of government advertisements to newspapers, said Murthy.

ANI