Sir — This refers to reports of Union Minister for Home Affairs Sushil Kumar Shinde allegedly threatening to ‘crush’ television channels for their vilification campaign against the ruling Congress, a report Mr Shinde later denied. There have always been apprehensions about the media being influenced by vested interests. Demands have been made to bring the media under the purview of the Right to Information Act because of funding and profitability of TV news channels and publications.
But legal provisions can permit only such media-houses under RTI Act which are substantially Government-financed, even though indirectly. The best thing would be to make such transparency-provisions compulsory for all registered media-houses with the Press Council of India.