Lok Sabha discusses media regulation

The central government Tuesday said it would go by the "sense" of the Lok Sabha on the sensitive issue of media content regulation, amid demands to make the press more accountable.

"We need to give time to the self-regulation mechanism to flourish and take roots as it is linked to the basic democratic issues, but we are ready for a debate and will go by the sense of the house," Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari told the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour.

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Sharad Yadav said the media needs to be accountable and the government should strengthen the Press Council of India or parliament to do so.

"Media needs accountability. The government should strengthen the Press Council of India or parliament to do so," he said.

Congress MP Lal Singh wanted the government to cancel the license of Zee TV Group which allegedly demanded a bribe from party MP and industrialist Naveen Jindal.

Tewari responded by saying that a criminal investigation was on in the case.

Replying to a query related to incidents of paid news, the minister said the challenge was to decide what qualifies as paid news.

He said an inter-ministerial committee would meet Wednesday to discuss the Zee TV vs Jindal case. - IANS