Throughtout the world, countries are revising their media laws to take account of new technologies and new political realities. The debate in India over broadcasting reform, provoked by the Prasar Bharati Bill, has been one of the most fascinating and far-reaching of the decade. Here, as elsewhere, signals from aborad, raining from satellites, has the potential to disturb long-standing domestic arrangements. The debate dealt with history of Indian pluralism, the importance of national and religious values, the influence of a potential flood of western entertainment images and a challenge to the power of the Central Government. One of the most intriguing elements of the fierce political discussion was its use of British, US and other precedents in terms of describing alternatives available for India, and this comparative perspective likewise informs this book. The editors bring together important essays and documents from the debate in a manner that informs discussion about free speech and media transformations throughout the world. The appendices include The Broadcasting Bill of 1997, the ‘Issues and Perspectives’ report issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in 1996, the Prasar Bharati Act of 1990, and many other important accompanying documents. This will be essential reading for students, researchers, policy-makers, and all those interested in the rapidly changing field of media law.
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