INDIA TIGHTENS UP BROADCAST LAWS
By Adnews Staff
India's government has approved a broadcasting law to regulate electronic media through guidelines and mandatory licenses for running local radio and TV networks. Under the agreement, ther will be an autonomous Boradcast Authority of India which will license radio and TV broadcasters. There will be a 49% limit on foreign investment in locally-incorporated broadcasters and a 20% limit on cross-media ownership. State-run networks, All-India Radio and TV broadcaster Doordarshan, will be autonomous. All broadcasters will have to follow Indian norms on acceptable program content are are subject to local censorship laws. Until now, India went by two ancient laws that were in effect before TV was invented: the Indian Telegraph Act of 1885 and the Indian Wireless Telegraph Act of 1933.