CQ- Prakash Javadekar becomes new I & B minister

Prakash Javadekar, becomes new minister of state (independent charge) for Information and Broadcasting (I&B). 

Javadekar will take the charge of the MIB at a time when the broadcasting industry is going through a dark age. While the first two phases of digitisation are over, there still remains the difficult task of meeting the third and fourth phase deadline (31 December 2014). 

Another important issue at hand is that of the 12-minute ad cap. While general entertainment channels are following the ad cap regulation, the news broadcasters, multiple regional and music channels are clearly defying it and the matter is sub judice in the Delhi High Court. 

A third big issue concerns the TV ratings system. While BARC is being delayed, Kantar, one of the promoters of TAM, is fighting a case in the Delhi HC. 

Worse still, Prasar Bharati CEO Jawahar Sircar recently alleged that the public broadcaster lacks autonomy, a fact that had also been pointed out by the Prasar Bharati Committee led by Sam Pitroda. 

To crown it all, the outgoing I&B minister Manish Tewari had commented that the ministry is an anachronism with inherent redundancy, implying a doing away of the ministry altogether. 

It seems, therefore, that Javadekar will have his hands full for some time.

Source: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/4970-cq-prakash-javadekar-becomes-new-i-b-minister.html
Source: http://cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/4970-cq-prakash-javadekar-becomes-new-i-b-minister.html