Pressing for change

Rupert Murdoch owns the highest-selling tabloid in England and also its most influential broadsheet. He8217;s an Australian who became an American. Conrad Black is Canadian. He owns a newspaper which stands for everything Good read Conservative in Olde England. The sceptred isle doesn8217;t seem to have suffered culturally as a result. The argument that those who are concerned about cultural purity should oppose foreign investment in print is a laughable idea. Even more laughable is the thought that the BJP-led government should adhere to a policy resolution that was born of a closed door mindset in 1955, the era of Nehruvian socialism. Despite the Information and Broadcasting Secretary8217;s pussyfooting around it, it is clear that there is an ongoing review of the protectionist policy in print. It would make sense given the new minister has spoken often of his liberal intent in the broadcasting sector. With 100 per cent foreign equity being allowed in the Internet and the jury still out on the extent of foreignequity in broadcasting, it will be more than a contradiction if the print medium is allowed to continue functioning in a Fifties8217; straitjacket.

Not only is practically every newspaper in the world available on the Internet now, it can also be distributed freely in its original form. Everyone seems to agree that India is poised to become a major investment destination in the field of telecommunication, broadcasting and information technology but it will be difficult to do so without opening up the print medium. There8217;s no doubt it will be difficult. There is a sizeable segment of the print medium itself 8212; as the Information and Broadcasting Secretary pointed out on Tuesday 8212; which is opposed to this. This very segment is extremely vocal in its support of liberalisation, and fairly prides itself on its role as cheerleader for the dismantling of the licence-permit raj. And yet this segment, which often inflicts the most elitist, Westernised notions on its readers, can become the greatest proponent ofswadeshi values when it comes to opposing foreign investment in print.

Yet these newspapers see no double standard a word much favoured by foreign observers of India8217;s muddled media scene in agitating for the privatisation of radio stations across the nation. Or even of starting satellite television networks with British and Chinese equity. If there is to be reform of the economy, it has to be across the board, not just in arbitrarily chosen sectors. This reform can only be beneficial to the consumer, who is ultimately the voter. The unlegislated existence of foreign private satellite networks has already seen cable and satellite homes growing to 42.7 per cent of all TV homes, and contrary to assumptions, not all the increase has been in urban areas. There are 8.5 million cable and satellite homes in rural areas and 20.9 million in urban areas. It has meant that a monopoly player like Doordarshan has suffered in terms of revenue and audience share but it has also expanded choice. With monopolisticpractices being the order of the day in the newspaper world, it will not be long before these too will have to give way to the forces of liberalisation. The BJP which has learnt to play the electronic media game well, will understand the benefits of having many players in print too.