Policy change likely

IN Media Watch Briefs | 16/11/2012

Mint reports that the I & B ministry is considering a change in the policy which has allowed states to own cable TV networks. The best known instance is Tamilnadu's Arasu. A TRAI recommendation to this effect made in 2008 may now be implemented, and licenses to state governments for cable distribution will be disallowed. The logic is that the government must not control media distribution.

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Cable tv policy

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Amazon resisting voluntary censorship

The new term for self censorship is voluntary censorship, as proposed by companies like Netflix and Hotstar. ET reports that streaming video service Amazon Prime is opposing a move by its peers to adopt a voluntary censorship code in anticipation of the Indian government coming up with its own rules. Amazon is resisting because it fears that it may alienate paying subscribers.

Let the games begin

Clearly, the run to the 2019 elections is on. A journalist received a call from someone saying they were from Aajtak channel and were conducting a survey, asking whom she was going to vote for in 2019. On being told that her vote was secret, the caller assumed she wasn't going to vote for 'Modiji'. The caller, a woman, also didn't identify herself. A month or two earlier the same journalist received a call, this time from a man, asking if she was going to vote for the BSP.