SEBI plans curbs on 'agenda-driven' media content

15 December 2006

Mumbai: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is planning to bring in regulation to rein in 'vested content' in the media on stock markets in order to safeguard interests of the average investor.

A section of the electronic and print media is disseminating 'agenda-driven' messages from 'vested-interest groups' as information, SEBI chairman M Damodaran said.

"We will find ways to deal with that in the interest of the average investors," he said.

Damodaran was speaking at the inaugural of the ticker showing BSE's live quotes and a video screen on the wall of the Bombay Stock Exchange building.

NDTV Media, which has tied up with the BSE in providing the technology, will display the contents of its business channel NDTV Profit on a giant screen put up just below the BSE's live ticker.

Criticising "agenda-driven' contents being passed on as information and expert advice in the print and electronic media, Damodaran said the BSE's current initiative is one more avenue to communicate with the ordinary investor.