No curb on freedom of media,says Manmohan

The proposed curbs by the govt on TV channels over live coverage of terror attacks was virtually put on hold by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

After the proposed curbs by the government on TV channels over live coverage of incidents like Mumbai attacks was virtually put on hold,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday assured that nothing will be done to curb the freedom of the media.

The assurance was given by the Prime Minister during a meeting with a delegation of TV editors in New Delhi on Friday evening.

The editors had sought his intervention after they voiced serious objections to the planned curbs describing them as nothing but censorship.

CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai,who had led the delegation of TV editors,told reporters after the meeting that “the Prime Minister has assured that he will do everything in his powers to ensure that news shown on TV is not compromised in any manner.”

Sardesai added that the Prime Minister gave them a personal assurance that he would not allow anyone to control media as he believes in the freedom of press.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday had said that changes in the rules “will be made only after widest possible consultation with all stakeholders” giving some respite to the TV networks.

The statement said the Prime Minister had received several representations from media agencies regarding the proposed changes in the Cable TV Network Rules currently under consideration.

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Expressing complete satisfaction with the meeting,Sardesai said that “all of us are satisfied with his personal initiative and hope that this dispute will end today”.

The TV channel editors on their behalf assured the Prime Minister that they will follow the self regulation code formulated by News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and will further strengthen it.

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