NEW DELHI: Reiterating the strongly held view of news broadcasters, Media Content and Communications Services (MCCS) CEO Ashok Venkatramani today said that the government should bring ad regulation once digitisation settles down.

He said that the broadcasters need more time to draw up new business model based on subscription revenue. "You can?t just pull up a whip when you want," he said during a panel discussion on ?Setting the right framework and building a robust news ecosystem?.

Venkatramani wondered whether Trai or I&B Ministry was being diligent enough while making regulations that makes or breaks the fortunes of many a broadcaster?s.

BAG Network Chairperson and MD Anuradha Prasad said that news networks have always been a soft target of all government policies as they created impact at the level of policy-makers.

Contrary to the perception that the integrity of news channels has been eroded, Prasad felt that the Indian news channels are still maintaining high standard.

Striking the right balance between information, entertainment, and pure journalism was paramount, Venkatramani added.

However unperturbed by the opposition of news broadcasters, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Joint Secretary Supriya Sahu has defended Telecom Regulatory Authority of India?s (Trai) move to regulate ad duration on television channels contending that the regulation was being implemented to protect the interests of the consumers.

Sahu said that the ad regulation was already there under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Rules 1994.

She also said that there was a need to review the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 as the law came into existence at a time when the industry was on a different trajectory altogether. "In fact, there was need for a comprehensive review of all laws relating to broadcasting," she said.

Asked if imposing licensing on television for getting subscription revenues as was being done in UK, Paritosh Joshi who is Principal - Provocateur Advisory and who was moderating the session, said that this would only kill plurality as the situation in India was very different than the one the BBC worked under.

Puthiya Thalaimurai TV News Director S Srinivasan said it was incorrect to say that news channels were not able to work with freedom.

He said his channel was launched in an environment where most channels were owned by political parties and yet had managed to make an impact in Tamil Nadu because his channel decided to be independent rather than being a political mouthpiece.

Den Networks CEO S N Sharma said while the subscription rates have looked up the carriage fee has also come down marginally for broadcasters post phase I of digitisation.

He also said that news channels are unable to raise their ad rates as they have to survive in a very competitive market.

Advocate Anish Dayal said the broadcasting industry has several legislations. The ad regulation, he said, was always been there but was never implemented.