According to a recent notification (dated February 25, 2008) that amended the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994, no advertisement would be permitted which directly or indirectly promoted production, sale or consumption of cigarettes, tobacco products, wine, alcohol, liquor or other intoxicants. Failure to comply with the order would entail action, he added.

The ministry’s notification came soon after Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss took up the issue with Dasmunsi, asking him to crack down on rampant surrogate advertising. He had written to Dasmunsi last month, pointing out the advertisements of such a nature, and Dasmunsi had assured him of action.

Dasmunsi also told the House that the Screening Committee of the ministry had cleared 1,616 (1,184 for AIR and 432 for Doordarshan) vacancies for direct recruitment under the Annual Direct Recruitment Plan (ADRP) in Prasar Bharti.

There is a shortage of specialised manpower in AIR and Doordarshan as no recruitment is taking place because the status of Prasar Bharati employees is under consideration. A few retired personnel have been engaged on contract basis for a limited period to ensure that important and specialised works of Prasar Bharati do not suffer.

At a seminar in the capital, however, Secretary, Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Asha Swarup said the Government was mulling over revising the foreign investment limits in various sub-sectors of broadcasting. The ministry was of the view that composite limits for FDI and FII, both direct and indirect, could be kept at 74 per cent in the case of infrastructure and platform services like teleports, DTH, HITS and satellite radio.

Already 100 per cent foreign investment is allowed in non-news and current affairs channels and channels permitted under the downlinking policy. No changes are proposed in the 26 per cent limit for news and current affairs channels and 49 per cent for cable operators.