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I&B Ministry gets CAS on Upper House Monday agenda

Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 02, 2002

NEW DELHI:The information and broadcasting ministry has asked the business advisory committee of parliament to relist the Cable TV Networks Amendment Bill 2002 next week and this is most probably going to happen on Monday in the Upper House (the Rajya Sabha).

According to I&B ministry officials, if the RS transacts business on Monday and there are no adjournments, then the Bill, which aims at facilitating the implementation of conditional access systems (CAS), will be discussed on that day. The officials agree upon one thing: about three hours have been allotted for debate on CAS in the Upper House. Even if the Bill, which has generated lot of heat and unleashed high pitched lobbying for and against it, is to be referred to a parliamentary committee (as is being demanded by a section of the broadcasting industry), it will require consent from the Upper House where the issue will have to be taken up and a motion passed to this effect.

Though Swaraj‘s meeting earlier this week with Opposition members of the Rajya Sabha was inconclusive, she is hopeful of pushing the amendments through in the Upper House too.

The Lok Sabha has already okayed the amendments through a voice vote. The Congress, which is opposing the passage of the CATV Amendment Bill 2002 in the Upper House and has raised several questions, however, had not opposed the Bill when it had come up in Lok Sabha.

According to political sources, Nilotpal Basu of the CPM, after his meeting with Swaraj, had said that the minister was not able to satisfactorily resolve some doubts raised by some Upper House members.

I&B Ministry gets CAS on Upper House Monday agenda

Aug 02, 2002

NEW DELHI:The information and broadcasting ministry has asked the business advisory committee of parliament to relist

MTV Asia declares 1 August as 'Asian Youth Day'

Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 02, 2002

News Headline

MUMBAI: It may primarily be a music channel but MTV is getting serious about its social image as well.
On Thursday, MTV declared 1 August as Asian Youth Day, an initiative between the channel, UNICEF and Levis that evolved from the Speak Your Mind campaign. The campaign, held recently, drew more than 22,000 entries from the region and encouraged youth to voice their concerns on issues affecting society and how they could improve the state of the world.

On the heels of the presentation of the Asian Youth Charter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York, the plaque journeyed with the agenda of the youth to Singapore where 16 year old Natalya Ann Twohill presented the Charter to President SR Nathan. Thailand‘s representative Ingrid Tharasook also presented the charter to a government official, according to an official release. After interactions with Colin Powell and the recently held Forum on HIV with former US president Bill Clinton participating, this is MTV‘s latest initiative to involve youth with the day‘s pressing issues.

In India, Jinen Thakkar spoke in Bangalore yesterday to media representatives about his experiences in New York. "We came here to the UN in New York and spoke our minds. But now it is time for action. The first step has been taken with this campaign in New York with meeting Kofi Annan and Nelson Mandela. We should now be ambassadors for the UN in our own countries.

" Programming on MTV Asia took on a new facet on Thursday as the camera turned on youths on the streets. Young people spotted by MTV‘s camera crew introduced music videos that reflect the youth day theme. Viewers got to watch Speak Your Mind documentaries featuring Ronan Keating in Thailand, Wang Lee Hom and Manisha Koirala in Nepal and Regine Valesquez in the Philippines. These reality-based documentaries focus on issues raised by youths - HIV/Aids; child prostitution; education and poverty. The New York special featuring the 12 Speak Your Mind winners presenting the Asian Youth Charter to United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan was also aired during the day.