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The Rediff Interview/Sushma Swaraj

'The country has been long awaiting a well thought out media policy. It should be on our priority agenda'

Sushma Swaraj is not new to the information and broadcasting ministry. She was there the last time as well. And during those 13 days she took some swift and unorthodox decisions that left the mandarins of Mandi House flummoxed. Newscasters changed their dress code. Ads were quickly withdrawn. Serial makers ran for cover as she wielded the whip against adulterous storylines. This time, her gameplan is larger. With the Broadcasting Bill on the anvil and the recasting of Prasar Bharati on her party's national agenda.Pritish Nandy spoke to her this week.

What are the first steps you intend to take? What is on your immediate agenda?

Correct information and quality broadcasting.

How do you hope to achieve that? The satellite channels are outside your reach and, with the formation of Prasar Bharati, Doordarshan and AIR have cut the umbilical cord from your Ministry...

They have not cut the cord. Rather, we have cut (it).

True. But what difference does that make?

Well, Prasar Bharati was our commitment. Giving autonomy to the electronic media was our commitment to India. But, still, the guiding principles and the guiding role is for the ministry to lay down. And we can, at any time, review the functioning of Prasar Bharati and, if it does not live up to our expectations, make the changes (required).

There is a feeling that you may like to reconsider the structuring of Prasar Bharati?

I have not taken any decision as yet, Pritish. I do not want to start with any preconceived notions or prejudices. But certainly I would like to review its functioning. I would like to analyse its impact.

Prasar Bharati was our commitment. It was Advaniji's baby. Do you know when it was first conceptualised? It was after the Emergency. During the Janata Party regime. We all saw what happened during the Emergency. There was total government control over the electronic media. We wanted to remove that for all time and that is why this was conceived. That commitment is still there. But since it has come into operation...

You want to see how well it has functioned?

Earlier it was just in theory. Now we are seeing it in practice. So I have to review its working, assess its actual impact...

Most people believe it is working very well, thank you.

But there's always scope for improvement.

What was your honest impression during the recent elections? Do you think Prasar Bharati lived up to its promise of editorial independence?

I would not like to comment on that. Not till I have made my assessment.

But during your campaign you were highly critical of Prasar Bharati?

Now I am the Information and Broadcasting Minister. I should not start with any prejudice. What we said during the elections is no longer (relevant). In fact, all parties criticised Prasar Bharati during the elections...

Which is actually a good thing. It shows that no one had reason to be happy with the coverage. This could be translated to mean that the coverage was equally fair or equally unfair, depending on which way you choose to see it.

Well, give it a day or two. I have just taken over. I am gathering my impressions. In a day or two, I will take decisions. I assure you they will be very well thought out decisions.

But can you stop the march of technology? Can you control satellite channels that beam from the skies and defy all your bureaucratic barriers?

Wait till the Broadcasting Bill comes. It is in the process of being finalised.

But the information ministry on its own is an anachronism in this day and age. You need to bring the communications Ministry under the same aegis and create what can be best described as an infotech Ministry. You cannot control content without controlling delivery. If you want to be futuristic, you must bring both these ministries together.

In the Standing Committee, they are already clubbed together (as one ministry). In Parliament, we have standing committees for different ministries. But these two ministries form one standing committee. It is called the Standing Committee for Information and Broadcasting and Communications. So may be we will do it one day...

What about the Broadcasting Bill? What are your plans apart from ensuring that there is no cross media holdings and foreign participation in broadcasting companies does not exceed 20 per cent?

I have studied it very carefully as a member of the JPC. The evidence part is over. The discussions could not start. But keeping in view the evidence that has come in, the new Broadcasting Bill will be introduced in Parliament with some modifications.

When do you hope to do that?

Very shortly. The country has been long awaiting a well thought out media policy. It should be on our priority agenda.

Why did your party decide to stop cross media holdings and cap foreign investment at 20 per cent? What did you hope to achieve?

The reasons are very, very simple. You know that we are against major foreign equity participation in the field of culture and information. This is not only our view in the BJP. In fact, it is not only the view of all those alliance partners of ours who are signatories to the national agenda for governance. Even our adversaries -- the Janata Dal, the Left parties, and some sections of the Congress-- agree with this view. There is a national consensus, you could say, on the subject.

As regards prevention of cross media holdings, it is to stop monopolies. Suppose those who are big in the press media have control over the electronic media as well, they can easily black out anything they want or disagree with. It is against democratic norms. The logic was first put forward in the United States. They accepted it. We are doing the same.

Since the last time you were here, things have changed. Is there any new focus you intend to bring to your job?

To put in place a national media policy. That is the foremost thing on my agenda. The cable law. Prasar Bharati. The Broadcasting Bill. These are all overlapping things...

You see, this is a very crucial phase for the Ministry. It is a transition period also. Switching over from government control to an autonomous corporation is one transition. Then, simultaneously, going in for a Broadcasting Bill (which means adopting a national media policy which will have very, very far reaching consequences) and regulating the cable laws. All these make this the most crucial period for this ministry. Once these issues are settled, you will have status quo for a long, long time. Right now, it is the most challenging period. You have so many issues of major importance. Like uplinking, to take just one example.

Most of these are technology led? How up to date are you on that technology?

Quite. Look at uplinking. Four ministries are involved in the decision. Communications. Home. Space and Technology. Information and Broadcasting. So you can imagine how complex it is.

Do you think it is any longer possible to regulate media in a world moving towards greater and greater globalisation?

Yes, yes. Why not? Many other countries have done it.

But is it desirable?

Yes certainly. People are trying to do so many things through the backdoor...

You mean DTH?

Yes, many things are being done through the backdoor. It is a challenging time for us. We must stop them. We must preserve our cultural identity. We must take a stand on all these issues.

The Rediff Interviews