News on private FM could threaten national security: Centre
The Centre has apprised the Supreme Court that it could not grant permission to private FM community radio service operators to broadcast news content as it could threaten national security. "Several anti-national radical elements within the country and also from abroad could misuse it for propagating their agenda," the Centre has stated.
In the internet age when information flows freely, the government wants to continue its monopoly on news and current affairs programmes over radio waves and has justified its ban on private FM community radio service operators by saying they could threaten "national security." In an affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, the Centre said it could not grant permission for broadcast of news content as several anti-national radical elements within the country and also from abroad could misuse it for propagating their agenda.The apex court is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO Common Cause in 2013, seeking a direction to the Centre to allow private radio stations and community radios to broadcast news, arguing that radio is a more accessible medium for the masses, particularly the poor. The petition states that India is the only democracy where the dissemination of news and current affairs programmes on radio remains a monopoly of the Government-owned broadcaster. But the MHA affidavit, in its affidavit continues to maintain its stance that community radio service operators and private FM operators should not be allowed to broadcast news. "Broadcast of news by these stations/channel may pose a possible security risk as there is no mechanism to monitor the contents of the news bulletins of very such station," an filed in the court said. "All these stations, channels are run mainly by NGO/other small organisations and private operators, several anti-national radical elements within the country can misuse it for propagating their own agenda," the affidavit stated. "Community radio stations also air programmes involving chats with NRIs and local population settled abroad. Also Read: Upset over frivolous petitions piling up in Supreme Court, CJI imposes fines