Maintaining that media should be accountable, Government today said self-regulation was the "best way forward" until the issue of regulating it is debated by the people and the opinion of the majority is heard.

Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni said everyone understands that any kind of control on media, be it electronic or print, is going to be resisted not only by media but by all free-thinkers of the country.

"We have learnt from past mistakes. We would not take any decision that would harm, hurt or (that would be) dangerous to our country," she said addressing a seminar on the National Press Day here.

"We all know that if government is accountable, there is no section or entity or institution that will not be held accountable by the educated, literate and young citizens of the country," she said.

Noting that people expect media, which is an important institution, should be held responsible when it makes a pivot around which everyone interacts, Soni said media cannot runaway from that accountability.

"We can put in various mechanisms, regulatory body or self-regulation or whatever other forms. But basically it depends upon the credibility of the media itself.

The minister said media in future may not like the self-regulatory mechanism because they are aware of the agitation for a "hard Lokpal" in the country which was appreciated by the leadership of the country.

"The news broadcasting standards authority (NBSA) and broadcasting content complaints Council (BCCC) have come into existence and they have eminent judges and other people on their panel," she said, adding that there has be "no consensus" on the issue of regulatory mechanism for the media.