Lok Sabha Question No. 989 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-21
Subject: Golden Jubilee Celebrations of PCI
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: GEETHA KOTHAPALLI, J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 989 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2017

## GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS OF PCI

## 989.     SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA: SHRI J.C. DIVAKAR REDDY:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government organized golden jubilee celebrations of the Press Council of India (PCI) and celebrated National Press Day recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the issues discussed and outcome thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  for  a  single  watchdog  body  for  both  print  and television media as PCI is only for print media and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Government has taken steps for upholding freedom of press in all forms and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  INFORMATION  AND BROADCASTING [COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

(a) to (c) The Press Council of India (PCI), a Statutory Autonomous Body celebrated its valedictory  of  Golden  Jubilee  Year  on  November  16,  2017.  The  details  of  the  event  is annexed as Annexure.

(d) In pursuance of its policy to uphold the freedom of the press, the Government does not interfere in functioning of the press. However, Press Council of India (PCI), a statutory autonomous body has been set up under the Press Council Act, 1978 to maintain and improve the  standards  of  newspapers  and  news  agencies  in  the  country  and  also  to  inculcate  the principles  of  self-regulation  among  the  press.    In  furtherance  of  its  objectives,  PCI  have formed Norms of Journalistic Conduct under section 13(2)(b) of the Press Council Act, 1978 which cover the principles and ethics regarding journalism. The Council monitors and takes cognizance, suo  motu or  on  complaints,  of  contents  in  print  media  which prima facie ,  are violative of Norms of Journalistic Conduct. The 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.

Besides,  the  content  broadcast  on  TV  channels  is  regulated  in  accordance  with  the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the Cable television Network Rules, 1994  framed  thereunder.  All  programmes/advertisements  telecast  on  TV  channels  have  to comply  with  the  Programme  and  Advertising  Codes  prescribed  under  Cable  Television Networks  (Regulation)  Act,  1995  and  the  Cable  television  Network  Rules,  1994  framed thereunder.  In addition, the self-regulation regime has also been established both for news and non-news channels  in  the  form  of News  Broadcasting  Standards  Authority (NBSA) of News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) of Indian  Broadcasting  Foundation (IBF) respectively  and  advertisement by Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) which has been acknowledged  by Supreme Court of India in W.P. (C) No. 387/2000 filed by Common Cause Vs UoI & Ors.

(e) PCI  is  mandated  to  promote  and  protect  the  freedom  of  the  press  within  ethical jurisdiction and declaratory observations. In discharge thereof, it adjudicates on specific cases and in a wider perspective, prepares white papers/reports on matter impinging such freedom.

'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  seventh  Schedule  of  the Constitution  of  India.  The  existing  laws  are  adequate  for  protection  of  citizens  including journalists.    Also  the  Press  Council  of  India  takes  appropriate  action  on  receipt  of  specific complaints from affected journalists. Representations on providing security are received from or on behalf of individuals, including journalists. All such representations are examined and based on inputs received regarding threat assessment, required action is taken by the relevant authorities.  Central  Government  attaches  highest  importance  to  prevention  of  crime.  An advisory on safety of journalists has been issued to States/UTs on 20 th October 2017, which is available at the Ministry of Home Affairs' website viz., www.mha.nic.in.

***

## Annexure referred to in the reply to Part (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.989 for answer on 21.12.2017.

## NATIONAL PRESS DAY 2017

The National Press Day celebration are held every year by the Council and this year being  the  valedictory  of  the  Golden  Jubilee  year  of  the  Press  Council  of  India  (PCI)  the subject for discussion, countrywide, on the National Press Day was 'Challenges Before The Media'. The National Press Day's main event was inaugurated by Hon'ble Vice President of India Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu.   Hon'ble Minister of Information & Broadcasting Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani graced the occasion as Guest of Honour. The National Awards for Excellence in Journalism were also conferred on the Day in various segments out of the entries received from  all  over  the  country.  The  representatives  of  World  Association  of  Press  Councils (WAPC)  who  were  in  Delhi  during  the  period  for  participating  in  the  WAPC  Executive Committee Meeting, also participated in the deliberations organised by PCI.

Hon'ble Vice President expressed concern over some of the dangerous trends that had crept into the newsrooms of both print and electronic media. They needed to be curbed in order to ensure that the pristine role played by the press earlier stood restored.

Earlier speaking at the function, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Textiles,  Smt.  Smriti  Zubin  Irani  said  that  voices  of  media  shouldn't  be  suppressed  and constitutionally it was our responsibility to ensure that media had the freedom to speak. She further  added  that  today  we  have  citizens  who  are  becoming  journalists  through  the  social media  network  and  they  are  playing  an  important  role  to  remind  the  media  of  their responsibility as the fourth pillar of democracy.

The Hon'ble Chairman speaking on the occasion highlighted that the challenges faced by the media are its credibility, the surge of paid news and advertorials, and interference of Business Houses in newsroom. He stated that all these challenges have to be met by none other than the community of Journalists themselves as the challenges and threats are more from within than from the outside and it is duty of all who value the freedom of the press to make efforts to overcome the challenges.

The outcomes post deliberations held are as follows:

1. Augmenting  Country  wide  debates  and  deliberations  on  'Challenges  before  the Media' and Generating Proposals for meeting the Challenges at National/International level.
2. Encouraging higher Journalistic practises by awarding those excelling in Journalistic writings covering diverse categories.

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