Cross-media holdings: Panel criticises I038;B

A House panel on Wednesday slammed the Iamp;B Ministry for not taking any concrete action on the issue of cross-media holdings after a study sponsored by it established its existence and suggested framing of cross-media ownership rules. It asked the ministry to pay urgent attention to the issue before it emerges as a threat to our democratic structure.

The standing committee on Information Technology also slammed the ministry for consistently under spending funds allocated to it. It noted that while demand for set top boxes is set to go up as the switchover to the digital addressable system DAS regime takes place in four metros from July 1 and elsewhere on January 1,2015 the ministry has not done any survey on the availability of set top boxes to ascertain the domestic preparedness.