(a) whether financial and other unethical benefits are being cornered through paid news in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to ban this practice; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
(a) whether financial and other unethical benefits are being cornered through paid news in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to ban this practice; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF THE STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING (SHRI MANISH TEWARI)
(a) to (b) The Press Council of India (PCI), in view of the wide ramifications of the issue of paid news has
deliberated upon the issue and has released a Report on Paid News. The Report indicates that the forms of
paid news range from accepting gifts on various occasions, foreign and domestic junkets, and various monetary
and non-monetary benefits, besides direct payment of money. Another form of paid news that has been brought to
the notice of the Press Council of India by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is in the form
of ‘Private Treaties’ between media companies and corporate entities. The Report on Paid News released by PCI
is available on the Press Council’s website presscouncil.nic.in.
(c) to (d) In furtherance of its objectives, the PCI has formed ‘Norms of Journalistic Conduct’ for adherence by the
media. The Norm 36
(vi) prescribes that advertisements must be clearly distinguishable from editorial matter carried
in the newspapers. The Press Council takes cognizance, suo motu or on complaints, of contents in print media which
prima facie, are violative of Norms of Journalistic Conduct. The Press Council may warn, admonish or censure the
newspaper, the news agency, the editor or the journalist or disapprove the conduct of the editor or the journalist.
As regards the electronic media, all TV channels are required to comply with the Programme & Advertisement Codes
failing which action can be taken as per the terms and conditions of permission/registration. The Programme Code
prohibits carriage of programmes containing anything deliberate, false suggestive, innuendos and half-truths and
if a violation is established, the Ministry may take action which may include taking the channel off-air either
permanently or for a limited period. The Government has set up a state-of-art Electronic Media Monitoring Centre
(EMMC) to monitor and record channels on a 24x7 basis.