The Press Council of India (PCI) favouring a common regulatory body that encompasses both the print and electronic media urged the Centre to immediately constitute a new media commission, or to bring the visual media too under the purview of the PCI.

The press council’s views are significant, given the resistance within the media, to Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Das Munsi’s proposed Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill.

“We have made our view clear to the government that there should not be different sets of rules to govern the print and electronic media, and have asked for a media commission of India to be set up expeditiously,” press council chairman Justice G N Ray said.

Mr Ray who was addressing journalists here at the end of this council’s term declined comment on the broadcast bill but made clear that the PCI was strongly opposed to any government control on the media or any form of censorship.

“A media regulatory body must be independent, insulated and free from government or media interference,” he said.

At the same time, irresponsible journalism like the recent sting operations which breached the limits needed to be deprecated. “These were unfortunate and brought shame to India,” Mr Ray said.

The press council said it was seriously concerned by the “corporatisation of media and trivialisation of news” and called on the media to look more seriously into its own functioning. It said it was distressing that the high office of editorship is being virtually abolished and taken over by advertising space.

Mr Ray said the press council had often been called a ‘toothless tiger’ and that the council was not meant to function as a penal forum.