Does the government have any monopoly on electronic media?

In a democratic society, neither any private body nor any governmental organization can claim any monopoly over print or electronic media. The Indian Constitution also forbids it. A citizen has fundamental right to use the best means of imparting and receiving communication and as such have an access to telecasting for the purpose. The Supreme Court widened the scope and extent of the right to freedom of speech and expression and held that the government has no monopoly on electronic media and a citizen has under Art. 19(1)(a) a right to telecast and broadcast to the viewers/listeners through electronic media television and radio any important event. The Government can however claim regulatory powers over broadcasting so as to utilize the public resources in the form of limited frequencies available for the benefit of the society at large to prevent concentration of the frequencies in the hands of rich few who can then monopolise the dissemination of views and information to suit their interests.


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