Print and electronic media will have to comply with new IT rules: Centre | India News

New Delhi: All mainstream media, together with print and electronic, will have to comply with the provisions of IT Rules, 2021 with instant impact with out exemption as the federal government has refused to exempt them from the ambit of the new digital media guidelines.

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has mentioned that the rationale for bringing the web sites of the organisations underneath the ambit of the regulation is “well-reasoned”.

“Making any exception of the nature proposed will be discriminatory to the digital news publishers who do not have a traditional TV/print platform,” the ministry mentioned in a clarification to digital information publishers, publishers of on-line curated content material or OTT platforms and associations of digital media publishers. Also learn: PPF or NPS? Invest THIS a lot month-to-month to earn Rs 1 crore on maturity

The authorities`s clarification got here because the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) had just lately written to the I&B ministry urging it to “exempt and exclude” the standard tv information media and its prolonged presence on digital information platforms from the ambit of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, saying they’re already “sufficiently regulated” by numerous statutes, legal guidelines, tips, codes and laws.

Noting that code of ethics requires such digital platforms to comply with the exiting norms or content material laws, that are in vogue for the standard print and TV media, the Ministry mentioned, there isn’t a further regulatory burden for such entities. Also Read: India’s industrial progress shoots up 134.4% in April

Accordingly, it mentioned, the request for exempting the digital information content material of such organisations from the ambit of digital media guidelines 2021 can’t be acceded to.

“It does recognise that entities having conventional TV and print media are already registered with the federal government both underneath the Press and Registration Books Act or the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines of 2011.

“The digital version/digital publication of the organisations having traditional news platforms (TV and print) may be following internal guidelines of the self-regulatory bodies. Accordingly, if the organisations so desire, they can request the same self-regulatory bodies to serve as the Level II of the self-regulatory mechanism, after ensuring consistency with the Digital Media Rules, 2021,” mentioned the Ministry.

The Ministry additionally clarified that when any information and present affairs content material of a digital information writer is transmitted on an OTT platform, such content material can be outdoors the regulatory duty of that platform.

“However, if any OTT platform receives a grievance related to such news and current affairs, it may transfer the same to the publisher concerned of that content. Accordingly, there should not be any apprehension on this count either to the digital news publishers or to the OTT platforms,” it mentioned. The ministry famous that the tv information channels already have a self-regulatory mechanism in place to adjudicate grievances relating to the violation of the programme code underneath the Cable Television Network Act, 1995 and their inner codes or tips.

“The requirement of Level II under the Digital Media Rules, 2021 is only an extension of an existing institutional practice. Further, the composition of the self-regulating body would be decided entirely by the publishers and the government has no role to play,” the ministry mentioned. “It is neither stipulated nor intended for the government to either interfere or obstruct the formation of the self-regulating body including its composition,” it added.

The ministry additionally dismissed the issues that the oversight mechanism stipulated underneath the digital media guidelines would lead to extreme authorities management over the functioning of the digital information publishers and the OTT platforms.

“In this regard, it may be mentioned that even at present, in respect of the traditional TV channels, there is an oversight mechanism in the government by way of an inter-ministerial committee (IMC), which looks at certain grievances relating to the violation of the Programme Code, a mechanism which is in existence since 2005,” mentioned the Ministry.

Over the final 15 years, the IMC has given suggestions by the use of advisories, warnings and many others in respect of a lot of circumstances involving the content material of each information and non-news channels in relation to the Programme Code and in virtually each such case, the TV channels have accepted the suggestions of the panel, the Ministry mentioned.

“The IMC mechanism has stood the test of time. The concept of an inter-departmental committee (IDC) is similar.”

“Further, Level III is visualised as a residual level, in so far as the grievances which do not get addressed at the first and second levels would go to the IDC. Accordingly, the apprehension of excessive government control through these mechanisms is misplaced,” mentioned the Ministry.

In the general context, the Digital Media Rules, 2021 could also be complied with by the digital information publishers and the OTT platforms with none misapprehensions, it added.

The Ministry additional mentioned that the publishers could furnish the requisite data within the prescribed format instantly, take pressing steps for appointing a grievance officer, if not accomplished, and place all related particulars within the public area, represent self-regulatory our bodies by means of mutual session in order that the grievances are addressed on the stage of publishers or the self-regulating our bodies themselves.

It additional added that over 500 publishers have already submitted their particulars within the requisite format. Also Read: India’s industrial progress shoots up 134.4% in Apri