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Restrictions on live telecast of Assembly proceedings and curbs on the entry of media personnel into the House precincts appear to be imminent from the Budget session in July. There were requests from the Congress and the MIM to the Speaker to draw a “Lakshmana rekha” for the media, particularly for electronic media.
The number of media passes issued for the brief first Session crossed 1,000, up from 500 issued during the previous Session. The media advisory committee, that recommends the giving of passes, had no explanation for the huge increase.
On Thursday, even the media-savvy Telugu Desam supremo, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, barred mediamen from entering his Assembly office unless they were invited. He did not like the media reporting the exchanges between TD senior legislators on the functioning of the party.
Even print media personnel covering the House proceedings from the Press Gallery have developed a grouse against the presence of cameramen in the gallery occupying more space.
The presence of large number of mediamen all over the House and the noise and chaos generated by them has not gone well with the MLAs. Another media crowd forms near the entrance, where MLAs speak to the electronic media. There were two suggestions from the Congress: Like in Parliament, a single feed should be allowed for all channels. And the media point should be shifted elsewhere.
When the issue of live telecast of proceedings came up in the Business Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, the Speaker, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, said, “Any changes in the policy would be discussed with the media advisory committee. The whole issue will be re-examined.”
The Speaker experienced the media enthusiasm first-hand. Scores of TV and press cameramen were allowed inside the BAC meeting room in the office of the Speaker to take snaps for a while. After they left the room, the doors were closed and the BAC meeting began but another set of photographers began banging the doors for entry. The Speaker asked the staff to let them in.