Need for Trai to relook on state entry in broadcasting and monopolies: I&B minister

NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory of India had been asked to re-examine the issue of Central and state governments entering the broadcasting sector in view of the changed scenario, the Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said.

Tewari said the earlier Trai report of 2008 had neither been accepted or acted upon by the Centre.

Speaking on the sidelines of the release of the Government of India calendar for 2013 brought out by the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, he said the scenario had changed with some state governments having huge stakes in broadcasting distribution and making demands to own TV channels. Even the Human Resource Development Ministry wanted its own channel.

He said the reference to Trai with regard to state TV and monopolies had been made with this in view as many states already had stakes in distribution.